UK Police Want Iris Scanners for Mobile Phones

­The UK's Metropolitan Police has issued a tender for handheld wireless devices which could include iris recognition in order to assist the police in identifying people they have stopped in the streets.

According to the details of the tender, which was posted on the European Union website, the mobile identification units (MIU) must be capable of capturing and displaying the information held on microchips and Machine Readable Zones (MRZ) contained within passports, bank cards, ID cards, credit cards and other identification documents.

The MIU must also be capable of capturing fingerprint images to industry standards and further biometric capabilities including facial recognition (2D and/or 3D), and/or iris recognition would be favourable.

In addition the handheld device must be capable of securely transmitting and receiving data across the secure police gateway.

The framework agreement will be open for all UK police forces, the Serious & Organised Crime Agency, UK Border Agency, HM Revenue & Customs, Home Office, Ministry of Defence and Foreign & Commonwealth Office and related agencies to call-off. The agreement will be for three years with an option to extend for a further two.

Overall the total spend under the framework agreement has the potential to be in the region of up to £3 million (US$5 million).

Posted to the site on 19th October 2009