For years, the Civil Police of the State of São Paulo, Brazil’s largest state police force faced significant challenges with criminal bookings and identification, including:
● A Fragmented Identity System – Each of Brazil’s 27 states has its own siloed programme that does not interconnect. This not only hinders statewide criminal booking but also undermines the community’s confidence in the criminal justice system.
● Identity Fraud With Multiple IDs – Imagine having 43 identities. This was the case for one unlawful Brazilian. The prevalence of identity fraud is extremely high across the country. If a person wants to hide their identity, it’s common for them to simply move to another state and set up a new profile.
● Manual Ink-and-Paper Fingerprinting Techniques – Many law enforcement departments across Brazil administered manual fingerprinting techniques, resulting in inaccuracies and low matching rates.
● Slow, Inefficient Criminal Booking Processes – Inefficiency was another setback for justice. It took numerous steps to confirm one’s identity and, on average, a whole workweek to get matching results returned.
● Biometric National ID Compliance – The civil police must modernise systems to comply with the Brazilian government’s mandates for all citizens to tie biometrics to their IDs.
The Civil Police of the State of São Paulo needed a more reliable and efficient solution to break down identification silos and put the agency on the path toward a unified, national system rooted in the power of biometrics.
Working through HID’s partner, Golden Distribuidora, one of Brazil’s largest distributors of IT products, the Civil Police of the State of São Paulo selected a comprehensive biometrics-based identification system called BioKit, featuring HID’s ten-print scanner.
The HID ten-print scanner is designed to quickly capture flat and rolled fingerprints for background checks and identity validation programmes. It is also certified for FBI Appendix F (FAP 60) and offers an economical approach to fingerprint acquisition without sacrificing image quality.
The criminal booking process at São Paulo civil police stations is simplified and can be accomplished in minutes not days. First, agents use HID’s ten-print scanner to capture fingerprints and determine if the individual has a biometric file on record.
The fingerprint images are compared against the state-run Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS). If there is a match, the civil police move forward with their investigation. If there is no match, the officer then creates a new biographic/biometric profile for the individual in question and enrolls them into the ABIS.
HID ten-print scanners deliver superior performance and reliability at a competitive price point.
Key advantages include:
● High-Quality Tenprint Capture – The scanner is FBI Appendix F (FAP 60) certified and can quickly capture high-resolution rolled and flat fingerprints.
● Ease of Use – User-friendly pictographs and LED indicators simplify the process for operators.
● Automatic Capture – Patented “Auto-Capture” offers fast and error-free image capture.
● Difficult Fingerprint Capability – An optional silicone membrane improves image quality for dry or damaged skin ensuring consistent results.
● ABIS Integration – The scanner seamlessly integrates with Brazil’s Automated Biometric Identification System (ABIS) to enable quick and accurate background checks.
Using the BioKit system, featuring the HID ten-print scanner significantly streamlines the criminal booking process and improves matching accuracy for the State of São Paulo Civil Police.
“Working with criminals can be difficult and dangerous, and the HID ten-print scanners help us identify and book criminals quickly and simply,” said Dr. Luiz Ortiz, Chief Delegate, Civil Police of the State of São Paulo. Dr. Luiz Ortiz adds, “The HID ten-print scanner is easy to use and provides clear direction through pictographs, which is a big differentiator from other offerings.”
To date, the BioKit system with HID’s print scanners is deployed in 500 civil police stations throughout São Paulo. This system has transformed criminal booking and identification processes, resulting in an increase in solved criminal cases and a steep reduction in identity fraud.
“What used to take 4 to 5 days is now done in minutes using the BioKit system and HID fingerprint technology,” said Dr. Ortiz. Dr. Ortiz adds, “Our agents can accurately identify or onboard suspects, and each new biometric enrollment into the centralised ABIS contributes to strengthening our country’s overall identity system and ability to bring about justice faster and smarter.”
“Each individual the Civil Police of the State of São Paulo onboards ties to a single set of fingerprints that verifies their true identity,” said Danilo Fernandes, Business Development Manager at Golden Distribuidora.
Danilo Fernandes adds, “Utilising biometric enrollment and verification, our nation has the potential to streamline millions of records, while preventing countless cases of fraud. This establishes a fierce force to fight fraud here in Brazil.”
Additional use cases for the BioKit + HID ten-print scanner, beyond criminal bookings, include border control, background checks, correctional centres, courtrooms, voter registration, and national ID programmes.
The team at Golden Distribuidora expects to continue distributing these biometric systems throughout the country to support Brazil in combating fraud and making biometric enrollment and identification a simple, fast, and trusted experience for all citizens and stakeholders.
