February-March 1997
Volume 1, Number 6

Introduction

This issue focuses on recent project developments and the status of the FMS. We will look at FMS development, its intended use as a law enforcement tool, and our plan to take early delivery of the FMS in late 1997 to support testing.

Project Developments

Central Segment Hardware and Software Acquisition

Harris Corporation (Harris) subcontracted with IBM for hardware and software for the NCIC 2000 Central Segment. Harris awarded the subcontract to IBM following a competitive procurement. IBM will provide its System 390 computer that uses Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology, associated peripheral equipment, and the system software required to operate NCIC 2000 in a parallel processing environment. The FBI purchased storage devices for the Central Segment from an existing FBI-wide contract.

The Central Segment equipment and software meet NCIC 2000 requirements for system availability, reliability, scalability, and maintainability. IBM delivered an initial system configuration in December 1996. In January 1998, IBM will deliver the remaining equipment and software needed to support NCIC 2000 at initial operating capability (IOC) in July 1999. This phased implementation allows the FBI to adjust the system configuration based on the results of system testing. The system is scalable and will be able to handle workloads beyond current projections.

Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Advisory Policy Board (APB) Meeting in San Diego, California

In December, the FBI briefed the CJIS APB on the status of the NCIC 2000 project. The briefing included updates on the system's software development, new NCIC 2000 files, project costs and funding, work on the FMS, workstation, and mobile imaging unit (MIU), and other significant accomplishments.

Status of the FMS Development

Overview

NCIC 2000 fingerprint matching will provide law enforcement officers with improved capability to determine if they have encountered a wanted person. This capability will improve identification of wanted persons and reduce the time officers will be exposed to potentially dangerous situations. The FMS is intended to provide an officer with information to support detaining a person NCIC 2000 identifies as wanted, pending a full ten print identification or other positive identification.

Fingerprint matching employs both the FMS and user equipment. The FMS is a subsystem of the NCIC 2000 Central Segment. The FMS provides a centralized matcher capability, supporting a file of up to 250,000 unique right index fingerprints. User equipment is located in the local office and patrol car, and includes NCIC 2000 workstations, Mobile Imaging Units (MIU), and communications equipment. This equipment is used to acquire fingerprints, submit fingerprint searches, and receive responses. Fingerprint images can be obtained using live scan devices or from inked prints with document scanners. User equipment converts the images to minutiae and topological data. This data is used for storage and matching.

Law enforcement officials can use the FMS to help verify the identity of a wanted person or to perform searches against the FMS database. There are two types of searches -- verification and cold search. A verification confirms the identification of a subject by matching the subject's fingerprint data against one specific fingerprint in the database. A cold search checks the subject's fingerprint data against all prints in the database. If a verification returns a match, the response will provide a hit confirmation message. If a match is found from a cold search, NCIC 2000 will provide a hit response, including a mugshot if one is available.

An FMS inquiry will return only a "hit" or "no hit" response. It will not return a list of possible "candidates" for a match. Note that the absence of a fingerprint record does not necessarily mean that a wanted person record does not exist. Some wanted person records may not have an associated fingerprint record.

Fingerprint queries sent to the FMS are compared only against the NCIC 2000 fingerprint database. They will not use or access the ten print fingerprint database associated with the FBI's Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS).

Federal, State, and local law enforcement will enter FMS information following the same procedures in which other information is entered into NCIC 2000. However, the NCIC 2000 software for image processing is required on users' computers to enter FMS data using the "enter image" transaction. This extracts minutiae and topological fingerprint data for entry into NCIC 2000. This software is included on all NCIC 2000 workstations and MIUs, and will be provided to all authorized NCIC 2000 users at no cost.

Previously captured fingerprints can be used for FMS searches or to add a fingerprint to the FMS database. The right index finger is used. The data retained for a fingerprint in the FMS will include a black and white (not gray scale) image of the fingerprint and a data representation of the fingerprint's minutiae and topological features. While users can request a printout of the black and white fingerprint image for visual comparison, this must be used with caution. The black and white visual representation is not a high quality image, such as those associated with ten print fingerprint cards.

Update on FMS Development and Early Delivery Plan

System development and testing of the FMS are almost complete. Programming for the interface between the FMS and the Central Segment's main processor is nearly complete as well. Now, the FBI is working with Harris Corporation to take early delivery of the FMS (as well as the workstation and the MIU) in late 1997.

Taking early delivery of the FMS will give the FBI operational and maintenance experience and the ability to conduct testing. Harris will provide the FBI with the FMS, user segment hardware and software, documentation, and computer based training (CBT) software.

FMS Specifications

The main hardware supporting the FMS is a VAX 810ft computer and 20 Printrak fingerprint matchers in a search match processor array. FMS software is programmed in C.

The FMS processes cold search requests with a two-stage matching process. The first stage, using Printrak matchers, compares the person's fingerprint minutiae against the database and produces a list of candidates with similar minutiae. This list of candidates is passed to the secondary matcher, but is not returned to the user. The secondary matcher, developed by East Shore Technologies, Inc., examines the topological features of the candidates and decides if an exact match is present or not. This "hit or no hit" response is then transmitted to the main processor, where a response is prepared and sent to the user.

Harris has provided the FBI with working models of the desktop and hand held live scan devices. The FBI has used these scanners to demonstrate how a user could scan a person's fingerprint and receive a response from the FMS. The demonstration system is on display in the CJIS Division's Human Interface Technology Evaluation Center (HITEC), located at FBI Headquarters. Law enforcement officials interested in a demonstration of NCIC 2000 and IAFIS capabilities should contact Alan Bozorth (202-324-1195 or 202-324-8750).

FBI Plans for FMS Testing

Step One:

The first step of FBI testing of the FMS is to gain insight into how it will perform as part of the larger NCIC 2000 system. This testing will provide data on the FMS's performance in laboratory conditions designed to simulate a real life environment. The FBI will perform the tests, with Harris serving in a consulting role. The FMS will be loaded with a test database of actual file prints. This testing will provide benchmark levels of the system's accuracy, give FBI personnel experience in operating and maintaining the system, gauge the completeness and ease of use of system documentation, help the FBI to estimate operations and maintenance costs, and provide the platform to perform special studies.

The results of this testing will help the FBI to become well versed in all aspects of the FMS. The experience gained from identifying and solving problems that occur during testing will be invaluable. The FBI will communicate the results of this testing to the user community. We will use the test data and lessons learned to plan for further testing with interested States.

Step Two:

This testing will take place once the FBI and participating States have developed an operational environment for the tests. The user organizations will send FMS transactions to the FBI in operational conditions. These test transactions will provide valuable user feedback and information about the FMS's concept of operations, user interface, and use in the field. Problems found during the testing can be isolated, analyzed, and corrected. This provides training, planning, and documentation for those who will use, operate, and maintain the FMS when NCIC 2000 comes on-line. The FBI will report the results of these tests to the NCIC 2000 user community and will use the testing information to prepare the FMS for IOC.

This testing will include selected States. The FBI is looking for States interested in participating in the testing. If interested, please contact Roy Weise on 304-625-2730.

This space is provided for authorized criminal justice agencies to provide commentary, questions, or suggestions. We will provide an answer to all questions. If you would like to submit an article, send it to:

Federal Bureau of Investigation
Attn: Ms. Katina Mackall
Room 9504
NCIC 2000 Program Office
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20535