IJIS Institute creates Biometrics Task Force

Public sector technology non-profit the IJIS Institute has created a new Biometrics Task Force to promote awareness of biometric technology, and address issues related to biometric policy, privacy, ethics, interoperability, and best practices, as well as to share success stories, all within the context of public safety, criminal justice, and government-sector business processes.

The Biometrics Task Force will be jointly managed by the IJIS Institute and its strategic partner, the International Biometrics + Identity Association. The IBIA will provide a co-chair, and support the group with expertise and resources.

NEC Corporation of America Advanced Recognition Systems Division Vice President of Federal Operations Benji Hutchinson has been appointed as the IJIS Institute chair of the Task Force. Hutchinson predicted that biometric deployments throughout the entertainment and aviation industries will be widespread over the next year or two in a recent conversation with Biometric Update.

“Given the current political and social climate, now is the perfect time to expand awareness and education on the capabilities, limitations, and policy implications of biometrics technology,” Hutchinson notes about the new Task Force. “Everyone sees daily headlines on facial recognition technology in law enforcement and border security scenarios. There is amazing potential in these technologies for the public sector, and legitimate differences in opinion on appropriate use of these technologies that should be resolved in the public policy arena. The IJIS Institute and International Biometrics + Identity Association are exceptionally well qualified to take on these challenges as organizations that bring together innovative thinking from the private sector, practitioners, national practice associations, and academic organizations that are working to solve public-sector information and technology challenges.”

The Task Force’s mandate is to create the framework for future discussions on the use of biometrics and related technologies for law enforcement and public sector applications, and it will focus on researching and identifying benefits and challenges for public sector biometrics, and strategies to deal with those challenges. It will also create information resources for executives and policy makers, identify policy guidelines for implementation, address interoperability challenges, collect and disseminate best practices, according to the announcement.

Article Topics

best practices  |  biometrics  |  ethics  |  government services  |  IBIA  |  IJIS  |  law enforcement  |  NECAM