Lockheed Martin's Remote Fingerprint Editing Software Helps New York State Solve Crimes
The Latent Fingerprint Unit of New York's Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) in November 1999 became the first such organization in the United States to conduct remote latent fingerprint searches against the FBI's Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System on a production basis. One day after the initial search was launched, a DCJS latent fingerprint examiner made a positive identification in an eight-year-old homicide case in New York City. Only days following that success, another examiner identified prints relating to a six-year-old multiple homicide case in New Jersey.
"The latent fingerprint identifications made through the Remote Fingerprint Editing Software exemplify its value as an important crime solving tool," said DCJS Deputy Commissioner Clyde DeWeese. "Our examiners are trained in using the Remote Fingerprinting Editing Software and they are pleased with its ease of use and functionality."
Latent fingerprint examiners in DCJS have launched approximately 1,200 searches in connection with 280 cases since the implementation of the Remote Fingerprint Editing Software late last year. Identifications have been made in 21 cases, as of Feb. 9, amounting to approximately one identification every 4 days of suspects in mostly felony-level crimes. The cases include six homicides, seven burglaries, four robberies, and one case each of mailbox bombing, drug trafficking, counterfeit check, and larceny.
"The Remote Fingerprint Editing Software is a world-class biometric identification capability that allows state law enforcement agencies to submit searches to the FBI using cost-effective methods," said Lockheed Martin Information Systems President John Hallal. "This technology is currently being used in five states."
Lockheed Martin built the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) using technology originally developed for target identification in defense applications. AFIS allows the FBI to extract similar fingerprint characteristics associated with the ridge patterns from over 400 million criminal fingerprints. Searches, previously accomplished by examiners' physical comparisons of the entire file, were reduced from months to hours with the implementation of AFIS in August 1999. FBI fingerprint examiners provide a high-confidence list of candidate sets with very similar print characteristics to state examiners that aid in verifying final identification of suspects.
Lockheed Martin Information Systems serves as the FBI's system test and integration contractor, assuring that the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System is available for use by the FBI service providers that are located in the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services division located in Clarksburg, W.Va.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global enterprise principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced-technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's core businesses are systems integration, space, aeronautics, and technology services.
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