Imagis Technologies and Orion Scientific Systems complete deployment of digital imaging-sharing system

OCTOBER 21--Imagis Technologies Inc. (Vancouver, Canada; www.imagistechnologies.com), a developer of law-enforcement software and biometric systems using advanced facial- and image-recognition technology, and its business partner, Orion Scientific Systems (www.orionsci.com) have successfully completed the deployment of the Multi-agency Uniform Imaging System (MUGS) for Alameda County, CA. This deployment represents one of the first countywide, digital image-sharing systems for law-enforcement agencies in the United States.

This new system replaces the traditional labor-intensive and costly processes involved in film-based mug shots, ink fingerprinting, and the hardcopy filing of police records at numerous storage locations throughout the county. The MUGS application, via Imagis' facial-recognition technology, enables public-safety and law-enforcement agencies to investigate a suspect or offender using only a digitized photo or composite drawing. This includes searching previous arrest records and interfacing with centralized repositories at Alameda County's Central Identification Bureau. Once identified, offender records are easily updated with biographical data, officer's remarks, and compared to the national Automated Fingerprint Identification System.

"The MUGS system has enabled us to retire our antiquated film booking cameras, saving the cost of film and camera maintenance, and the cost and delay of film processing. The new computerized booking photos are available throughout the County within minutes of when they were taken." stated Lt. Masterson. "The way the system was constructed it works together with our existing mainframe criminal justice system and our Livescans, reducing repetitive entries and inconsistent data. Using the system it is possible for an officer in any law enforcement agency in the County to create a line-up in minutes rather than days."