Pa. taps Identix for facial recognition

Identix Inc. has won a purchase order from the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association to provide facial recognition technologies to state law enforcement agencies, the company announced today. The contract value was not disclosed.

Identix of Minnetonka, Minn., will provide an automated biometric identification system to support data sharing throughout Pennsylvania's various law enforcement networks.

The association will incorporate Identix's automated biometric identification system with the company's fingerprint technology into an integrated solution. It will enable biometric data sharing among state law enforcement organizations.

In December 2003, the association awarded Identix a blanket purchase agreement to provide its TouchPrint 3000 Live Scan Series to the more than 100 10-print live scan systems deployed throughout the state.

Pennsylvania's database will include about 700,000 facial images, and the state expects to add up to 500,000 more images over the next several years, state officials said. Law enforcement officers will be able to access the system from 150 sites throughout the state.

Identix, a provider of fingerprint and facial technologies, systems and critical system components, has more than 500 employees and annual sales of $92.5 million, according to Hoover's Online of Austin, Texas.