A large police force that covers a major capital city in Europe is using its HID Nomad 30 Pocket Reader for rapid suspect identification in the field. Initially launched for Android platforms, the solution’s SDK is now available for IOS devices. This extends Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) benefits to a wider scope of clients who seek a truly flexible and mobile single-fingerprint verification solution.

“The expansion of our offering to include IOS platforms broadens the adaptability and application of our mobile biometric solutions and equips our customers — from law enforcement to military officials — with the confidence to achieve rapid identification anywhere,” said Jessica Westerouen van Meeteren, VP & Managing Director, Citizen Identity with HID Global. “Ensuring that our portfolio of proven solutions is optimised with the latest, best-in-class capabilities to create safer societies is key to our mission as a global leader in trusted identities.”

The HID Nomad 30 Pocket Reader’s PIV-certified sensor enables end-users, such as law enforcement officers, to quickly capture and verify single fingerprints against databases and eliminates the need to transport suspects to a central booking station.

With Android and IOS availability driving wider adoption, officers can simply pair their own mobile devices with the biometric reader hardware and perform watch list matching within minutes while in the field, leaving custody space open for confirmed offenders. The HID Nomad 30 Pocket Reader’s rapid identification capabilities offer improved operational efficiency and reduce time and booking costs associated with processing a suspect in a police station. During the first year of deployment, according to HID, one city saw a six-fold increase in the number of suspects identified and more than $600,000 in savings.

Extending biometrics to military applications

As a leader in mobile biometrics, HID Global also provides a broad range of biometric identity management solutions to customers beyond law enforcement. One of the company’s many offerings include the HID Seek Avenger rugged handheld biometric reader that is used in military applications to accurately identify individuals. The solution captures high-quality fingerprints and IAP-40 compliant iris images for verification against as many as 250,000 records and offers offline functionality in harsh environments where connectivity is compromised.