Metropolitan Police Service deploys CA`s Jasmine to support digitally driven policing across London

Computer Associates International, Inc. (CA) today announced that the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), the largest police force in the United Kingdom, is adopting CA`s Jasmine information infrastructure as part of a new initiative to support digitally driven policing.

Digital technology supports the MPS`s "intelligence-led" strategy by enabling the police force to solve crimes more quickly by capturing better quality images of suspects and building up criminal profiles that, for the first time, will be shared across the force.

The Custody Suite Imaging System, developed by CA Global Professional Services in conjunction with partner Strategic Thought Ltd., uses the built-in support Jasmine provides for digital cameras to capture search-and-retrieve images of suspects and prisoners. Currently piloted in 10 sites, the new system will be introduced by midyear to 100 custody suites -- where suspects are held pending interview/investigation -- across the remaining boroughs of Greater London, an area of 800 square miles.

"Our goal is to reduce the number of crimes in London and solve them faster by using leading technologies such as Jasmine to promote better intelligence sharing across police divisions," said Inspector Martin Bagshaw.

When a suspect is arrested and processed through the custody suite, MPS takes up to three sets of three pictures -- full face, left and right -- and records related textual information, such as the crime method. All images and text are stored in Jasmine at a local custody suite and replicated to a central image server at New Scotland Yard. If the suspect has previous custody instances, Jasmine is able to associate them, relaying the relevant information to the police officer.

More than 27,000 police officers have instantaneous access to the pictures and information through a standard Web browser. By using this digital technology across the MPS network, officers can check suspects` pictures within three seconds of the time the images are taken, Bagshaw said.

Before implementing Jasmine, the MPS used traditional photographic technology in its custody suites. This technology was slow, provided poor quality photographs, and did not permit effective sharing of vital information.

MPS chose Jasmine because it can be easily integrated with digital cameras, can closely model and replicate real world objects, and its data can be viewed via a Web browser. "With browser technology, the system is much more versatile as we can set up viewing galleries to identify suspects. In addition, this technology is future-proof as it can be upgraded easily," said Bagshaw.

The ability for Jasmine to manage real world objects such as images makes it a logical choice for the MPS image architecture. Jasmine also will serve as the foundation for the rapid development of new object-oriented applications to leverage increasing volumes of image-based intelligence data generated by the MPS and other law enforcement organisations.

The new Custody Suite Imaging System will expedite the interface between the MPS and the home office by dynamically producing detail information such as distinguishing characteristics or DNA, and by generating previously hand-written forms. The system will also alert stations that a suspect from their borough has been arrested elsewhere in the MPS area. This will enable police officers to build profiles of all those arrested, identify repeat and dangerous offenders, and act on the information quickly.

"In selecting Jasmine technology as the foundation for this system, the Met Police have added an invaluable tool to their policing strategy that wasn`t possible in the past. We`re proud to be involved with efforts to resolve crimes speedily where identification is an issue," said Sean Larner, CA`s senior vice president and general manager Europe.