Interview with Dave Russell, System Manager of NOVARIS

FB
To start off Dave, would you please provide us with your official title within the Department?

NOVARIS
Certainly; I am the Systems Manager of NOVARIS, which is the Northern Virginia Regional Identification System.

FB
When did you first become involved with biometrics?

NOVARIS
In 1992 when I was invited to interview for a position as a fingerprint examiner and assistant system manager for NOVARIS. Prior to that, I was a patrol officer with 10 years of “road dog” experience. I was ready for a change and the department was looking for someone with some computer knowledge and a willingness to learn the fingerprint world.

FB
As the System Manager for NOVARIS; would you care to please review your responsibilities there?

NOVARIS
The responsibilities over the last 15 years have grown exponentially. I take care of the computer system at NOVARIS, which is a data search and storage system for the Northern Virginia law enforcement agencies. Over the last 10 years, it has evolved into a method that the sheriff’s departments in all the jurisdictions of Northern Virginia use as a booking process. We use LiveScans to record the fingerprint and demographic data, and include mugshots with the record that can be used with facial recognition software. We provide fingerprint examiners, in every jurisdiction, the ability to work from their agency home-sites, on fingerprint workstations, and take advantage of all the network support from each jurisdiction creating a collaborative network environment that is cost effective. It’s been quite a challenge to build an environment where the load is balanced and everyone contributes to the overall goal. The system architecture has developed beyond interoperability with the Washington D.C. system and the Montgomery and Prince George’s County Maryland systems. All three AFIS systems now rely on inter-functionality to solve crimes through information sharing. System functionality has gone beyond the myriad of firewalls along with all the challenges of getting communications back and forth. All of this is accomplished in the paranoid state we are operating in within the communications systems in Northern Virginia, D.C., and Montgomery and P.G. Counties.

FB
When you mentioned the “paranoid state”, does that have to do with data management, the sharing of data, and interoperability, and those kinds of issues?

NOVARIS
Actually, it’s more about the ability of getting into another jurisdiction’s secure network; even though we are isolated within the Fairfax County network, we are responsible for punching holes into other firewalls in other jurisdictions. The data, itself, obviously, needs to be secure as well. However, we are also invading each jurisdiction’s secure network. Access and authentication is a challenge especially when there is an overwhelming desire to distribute the load of managing the active directory. We’ve had to be creative, over the last five years especially, by learning how to build systems that work with each other, yet, don’t “give up the keys to the city” when you access them.

FB
Now, in terms of interoperability and the sharing of data, exactly how do you go about making sure that that is as secure as possible?

NOVARIS
We are constantly evaluating our methods of connectivity and the layers of protection. All of us are learning what normal activity is and what is suspicious and we always think about the next upgrade to adjust to any weakness.

FB
As you start sharing this data more and more, do you find that there is a requirement, or a need, to begin to share it nationally, or internationally?

NOVARIS
That’s a great question. We’ve actually been sharing information for many years. Back in the old days, when we were pretty much “an island” we would occasionally receive a request for a fingerprint card from another law enforcement agency. After verification, we would just fax it to the agency making the request. Essentially, for the last 30 years, we’ve been involved in information sharing. We’re able to do it a lot faster and a little more efficiently now.

FB
When you share information with another agency, such as INTERPOL, or elsewhere internationally, would that be a situation in which they are asking you a specific question to which you respond, or do they have access to your database?

NOVARIS
They would have to specifically ask for it. That however, does lead to an interesting consideration for the national database search methodology, as opposed to the local database concept. My sense is that the home-grown, or local databases, are always going to have the arrest data of individuals that may not always get passed onto state, or federal systems. I believe that a method of being able to search local records, state records and then the national records would be a very sound way of getting a thorough search. Many have talked about a national database solution, and I could see that if you had no other access. A large system search would be the only solution; however, having a local or regional system puts you in control of your own environment. The ability to expand, develop and modify, as you need, is truly exceptional. Sharing information is critical. Using shared resources is another game entirely. The three AFIS sites in the National Capital Region share information routinely. Within each AFIS site, we share resources such as fingerprint examiner workstations, LiveScans and data management of arrest records. Each AFIS site controls its own business rules. For example, lights out processing versus 24/7 quality control coverage is a simple design element. This is a tremendous opportunity to afford a jurisdiction. They are not stuck with a situation of it’s my way or the highway.

FB
That is quite an accomplishment, I’m sure.

NOVARIS
Oh, that is significant, truly.

FB
Since you’ve been involved in biometrics for quite a few years, when looking at the current industry, what sorts of things excite you concerning what is happening with biometrics?

NOVARIS
Having recently visited some federal sites, I’ve been thrilled to see the accomplishment that has taken place so rapidly in such a short time. It’s taken us 30 years to get here. I think the development of facial recognition and IRIS systems is absolutely fantastic. We have some good experience with FR and the detectives love it. We’re looking at IRIS as an identity management tool starting with the adult detention centers and then moving on to other applications. It’s the next logical progression so I’m sure we’ll make good use of it. We’ve figured out how to connect systems together, using all of the network tools, as well as the nature of the people involved and the way they prefer to work. We’ve gotten a lot of information on how people want to do business and the preferences they have. We’re always thinking about the user and the end result.

FB
Can you tell me more about where iris-technology fits into your plans?

NOVARIS
Thanks for the great question. We’ve figured out, over the last several years,— after getting our feet wet with facial recognition and learning what that is all about, along with fully understanding what we are able to do with fingerprint identification, —that iris identification, as with the other layers of biometrics, is useful for identity management. We are using this concept to push the technology, and use it in the best possible place, for each agency’s needs. We have recently discovered, in the last year or so, that in every jail within Northern Virginia, Prince George’s & Montgomery counties, --the first questions asked is “who are you” and “have you been here before”? The joke is we try to identify the subject who came through the door before we go through the identification process. That got me thinking, how are we going to solve this “processing logic error”; and can we come up with an elegant solution that might solve a few other things in the process? Iris technology came into focus; it’s the perfect solution for us, if we can get this right, it will be the best technology for identity management. We can expand it to a credentialing system for first responders and manage access to disaster scenes.

As a baseline, we envision having an iris camera at the Sally port entrance. So, while you’re standing there waiting for the second door to open to enter the facility, you take advantage of the lag-time, and you can then identify a repeat offender from you own jail. Before you walk through the second door, you will know if you have a new player or not. It is going to be great. The iris technology, we think, is at least 10 times faster in identification than the fingerprint. We also believe that it will remove some of the effort and resources from the fingerprint identification system. By using the alternate resource of identification with the iris technology, we can distribute the system load appropriately and use the resources more efficiently. So, we are actually putting the resources together to specifically identify someone, but are also using these resources independently to take advantage of the needs of each jail.

FB
We know that mobile technology has come into its own over the past several years, and I know that most law enforcement departments utilize biometrics within their mobile technology. Are you excited about what can occur in that particular area?

NOVARIS
Absolutely! Mobile technology is now providing us with the ability to allow the officer, at the first point of contact, to identify an individual who has a criminal record in our regional system. It provides the officer with the opportunity to make a better decision based on the return from a fingerprint submission. It’s a whole lot better than playing 20 questions with someone trying to figure out their name. Now we have a fighting chance to identify someone at the first point of contact. We are able to search a million and a half arrest records in the region in two minutes. It’s truly amazing.

We are also excited, as we move into the iris technology, that we might be able to use that as a faster search method of the entire region off of a single server. That would be tremendous in reducing the use of the resources from the AFIS computers. This lets the fingerprint examiners use their AFIS tools while allowing the mobile guys to use the iris tools and resources that are out there and available to them.

FB
So, I would envision then, a small, handheld unit, that has fingerprint, face, and iris, all incorporated into it; is that correct?

NOVARIS
We could. We are, actually, looking at many different jurisdictions and divisions within the jurisdictions for ideas on device design. For example, the bike team, the road dogs, the detectives, -- all the entities within a single police department, have a different view of how they’d like to see a mobile AFIS unit. So, what we’re looking at is the ability to provide them with whatever tool that they require. I mentioned, years ago, that if a jurisdiction had a pencil and paperclip and they wanted to make some kind of connection with us, we would figure out how to do that. We are really going to work hard at that vision over the next few years, and provide each jurisdiction an opportunity to use the tools that they already have, and layer over that, their method of how they wish to employ biometrics.

It’s truly exciting to look at the ways in which we can use some of the tools that we currently have. For instance, most cruisers have a laptop through which they can communicate quickly. So, why not take a piece of software and apply a fingerprint scanner to it, or why not take a camera, --even a cellphone camera, -- and plug that in allowing it to be used as a facial recognition device. We think that the iris capability is going to move very quickly, and we’ll have a much better chance in using all the tools, in all the jurisdictions, based upon what that jurisdiction, or that entity within that jurisdiction, really wants to see in their toolbox. So, what better way for us to help them, than to create an environment and a “box of devices” for them to decide what tools that they would like to use.

FB
I know that several companies, such as LG electronics, --which immediately springs to mind, -- that have now created handheld units for iris technology. So, I believe they are trying to meet that need for you.

NOVARIS
That is really great; the vendors are doing a really wonderful job in meeting a need. Within the last year, I’ve noticed that there seems to be a great push from the Department of Defence to have a tool that is able to do fifteen different things; along the lines of a very big Swiss army knife—something that you could park a Humvee on, quite literally.

But you know, when a law enforcement officer gets a hold of this thing, we cannot afford a very expensive, single device that does 150 things. We’re really looking forward to seeing a couple of tools that we could actually put together, on the fly, out of a couple of pockets, and literally build any mechanism that we require for that moment. It’s got to come down to the size of Snickers bar and I need to communicate with my cruiser laptop. If I can run a fingerprint, a face, or an iris, I have it made. We’re to the point of using the phrase—it’s got to be a 100 dollar throw-away; and if the vendors are able to put that out to us, we can get a lot of those units out into a lot of different hands, as opposed to two or three different units that are far too expensive. Law enforcement really, really needs some inexpensive devices that we can put together easily with the equipment we’ve already got; throw out into the field; and put to use.

FB
We’ve talked a lot about some of the wonderful things that are going on with biometrics, what would you say are some of the challenges that the industry needs to face?

NOVARIS
Privacy advocates are going to be our biggest challenge. I believe iris technology will be our best link in assisting in the connection of the public with identity management. That is going to be more critical, in the next 10 years, I think, than what we have seen over the past ten years. We are all aware that identity theft is very big, but being able to prove who you are is also a safety feature, as opposed to being under the impression that Big Brother is trying to follow you around.

FB
NOVARIS, thank you very much; it’s been wonderful discussing this with you. I truly appreciate you taking out the time to talk to us about what is going on in your world; it’s truly very interesting.

NOVARIS
My pleasure, it’s been enjoyable discussing all this.