A partnership agreement will see Morpho (Safran) provide INTERPOL with a range of biometrics and other technical support. The partnership covers the supply of automated biometric identification to INTERPOL, provision of security for the future INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation (IGCI), as well as collaboration on border security.
Under the five-year partnership, Morpho’s facial recognition will also be provided to INTERPOL as an extra criminal identification tool. The two organizations, with other key partners, will also collaborate on developing standards and best practices on border efficiency and security through the use of biometrics, to tackle the challenge of increasing numbers of travellers and the related threats.
INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K Noble said: “As criminals employ ever more sophisticated ways to avoid detection, so too must law enforcement benefit from the latest advances in technology, especially in biometrics, to more effectively combat all forms of transnational crime. This is particularly true at borders, when officials have just moments to decide whether to allow a person into their country or not. It is vital that they have all the necessary tools at their fingertips to enable them to check whether this person is wanted internationally or have tried to conceal their identity. INTERPOL’s partnership with Morpho brings together these essential elements to help our member countries better protect their borders and their citizens, and to bring fugitive criminals to justice.”
Philippe Petitcolin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Morpho, said: “This new partnership is a continuation of our decade-long effort to support INTERPOL in its fight against transborder crime through delivery of advanced biometric solutions.”
“With our technological leadership and experience in the field, we are well positioned to provide INTERPOL and its member states with valuable input on the subject of border security.”
Since 1999, Morpho has provided INTERPOL with its Automated Fingerprint Biometric System (AFIS) enabling officers in member countries to conduct checks and identify internationally wanted persons via INTERPOL’s network. This system will be replaced with Morpho’s latest-generation AFIS. The IGCI is set to open in Singapore in 2014.
