By Dorothy Musyoka
In a significant leap towards modernizing the police clearance process, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) has signed a contract with Idemia Southern & Eastern Africa Ltd.
This collaboration aims to upgrade the current Automated Palm and Fingerprint Identification System (APFIS) to a cutting-edge Multi Biometric Identification System (MBIS).
“The Director DCI Mr Mohamed I. Amin today presided over the signing of a contract between the DCI and M/S Idemia Southern & Eastern Africa Ltd that will enable the upgrading of the Police Clearance Certificate system rom the currently used Automated Palm and Fingerprint Identification System (APFIS) to Multi Biometric Identification System (MBIS),” stated Mr. Amin.
The new Multi Biometric Identification System (MBIS) will not only help in clearing the existing backlog but will also ensure that the number of applications received daily is matched by the number processed, ensuring a seamless and efficient system.
“The new system, MBIS will improve the processing speed of the certificates from the initial 14 days to 1 day, thus effectively contributing to the clearance of the backlog while also matching the corresponding number of applications to those processed in a day,” added the DCI Director.
According to the Directorate of Criminal Investigation director, the new system is designed to support live scans of PCC applications at 52 Huduma Centres nationwide, as well as at the DCI Headquarters and various Police Stations.
The director noted that the intergration will significantly reduce the reliance on paperwork and streamlining the entire process.
Furthermore, the new system offers a substantial increase in storage capacity. The previous system could store up to two million criminal records, whereas the MBIS can accommodate up to ten million records. This expanded capacity ensures that the system can support the growing needs of the population for years to come.
“This feature will tremendously reduce paperwork in the whole process of acquisition of a Police Clearance Certificate. Moreover, while the old system was only able to store two million criminal records, the new system has a storage capacity of up to 10 million,” Mr. Amin noted.
This advancement is a direct response to the growing concerns from the public regarding delays in processing Police Clearance Certificates (PCC).
During the contract signing ceremony, Mr. Amin expressed his confidence in the new system’s ability to address the delays that have been a point of contention for many applicants.
He reaffirmed the Directorate’s commitment to providing this essential service with the utmost dedication and efficiency.