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EU: Shape of the future?

01 May 1996

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A new image-based computer system, called GRASP, (Global Retrieval, Access and Information System for Property Items), was given the go-ahead in February. The ?2.83 million three year project is being carried out by a consortium of EU police forces, businesses, universities, and the European Commission. GRASP is trying to tackle a number of problems. First, that of language. It will translate an inquiry generated in say Dutch automatically into Spanish when searching a database in Spain. Second, it is based on the direct interrogation by one country of criminal databases in another. Third, it will be image based. No longer will there be reliance on a users' ability to describe an object in words: "all he will have to do is select an image of the stolen item and the computer will do the rest." This project is typical of a host of multi-lateral policing projects which fall outside of any EU-wide accountability - even to the EU Council of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers. GRASP is being developed to locate stolen property but, with adaptation, will have all the attributes to search for "people". Police Science & Technology Review, May 1996.

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