The Next Generation Identification (NGI) Interstate Photo System (IPS) is the FBI’s repository of all photos received with tenprint transactions, by qualifying submission or bulk submission, when verified with an existing tenprint record.

The NGI IPS permits broader acceptance and utilization of photos by allowing:

• More photo sets per FBI record for criminal subjects (up to 25 per transaction)
• Bulk submission of photos maintained at state level repositories
• Submission of photos other than facial (e.g. scars, marks, tattoos, and symbols)

Please review the Mug Shot Implementation Guide – Photographic Considerations Related to FR Software and Booking Station Mug Shots and/or the poster Your Mug Shots Should Look Much Like This, when capturing and submitting photos to the FBI. The guide and poster can also be used as a reference tool, to provide visual aid to booking stations, in order to show what proper mug shot submissions should look like. For more information, please contact fr_ips@leo.gov

A feature of the NGI IPS is the Face Recognition Search (FRS). The NGI IPS offers an automated search and response system targeted toward state and local law enforcement. Law enforcement may submit a probe photo for a search against over 30 million criminal mug shot photos. The response will return a minimum of 2, a maximum of 50 or a default of 20 candidates for investigative leads. The contributor is required to compare all available candidates. An FRS does not provide positive identification. Submitters are prohibited from relying solely on the NGI IPS FRS for law enforcement action.

For information regarding Face Comparison and Identification Training, contact the FBI Biometric Training Team at FACE-TRNG@leo.gov

States with an existing face recognition system will work with their current service provider to program their systems to handle the new Types of Transactions as specified in the Electronic Biometric Transmission Specifications, Version 10.0.

Additional face biometric modality information can be found on the NIST web site: www.nist.gov/programs-projects/face-projects