Automated fingerprint identification system launched [February 28 2014]

An automated fingerprint identification and verification system was launched for the police department by the Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at the Deyata Kirula exhibition In Kuliyapitiya today.

Automated fingerprint identification is the process of automatically matching one or many unknown fingerprints against a database of known and unknown prints.

The system was created by the Software Development Unit of the University of Colombo lead by its head Harsha Wijewardena. Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) financially backed the project initiated under a concept of the Defence Seceretary.

Sri Lanka Police Department was founded in 1866 and the fingerprint identification was introduced in 1908. Since then fingerprint identification was done manually.

The need of an automated fingerprint identification system was first felt in 1995 and the cost to purchase a foreign software was estimated at Rs.800 million. This was successfully produced locally for a cost of Rs.100 million.

The system will help to identify criminals, to verify personal identities and to issue police clearance reports. The accuracy rate of fingerprint verification is 100%.

Police chief IGP N K Illangakoon and Secretary Ministry of Law and Order Maj. Gen. Nanda Mallawarachchi were also present at the occasion.