Police to use mobile biometric scanners and credit card readers

Mobile units could scan passports, credit cards and eyes

Met officers could soon carry mobile iris scanners

The Metropolitan Police wants to buy £3m of handheld units for law enforcement agencies that would be capable of capturing facial, iris and fingerprint biometrics as well as reading chips held on credit cards and passports.

The Met is tendering for a framework agreement with selected suppliers that would set out terms and conditions under which purchases can be made by different agencies for the length of the contract.

Such agencies would include HM Revenue & Customs, the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, the UK Border Agency, the Home Office, the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and all UK police forces.

The agreement will be for three years with the option to extend for another two. The devices will be separate from the mobile computers currently being rolled out to UK forces to assist with day-to-day policing.

The Metropolitan Police had not provided a comment at the time of writing.