Swedish police seek mobile fingerprint readers in $7.6M tender

The Swedish police have issued a tender seeking mobile biometric fingerprint readers with integrated passport readers.

The estimated value of the tender is 75 million Swedish Krona (US$7.6 million) excluding VAT. The buyer is the Swedish Police Authority in the country’s capital of Stockholm, while the deadline for submitting offers is June 5th, 2025.

The Swedish government has been looking to implement more biometric technology in order to clamp down on surging crime rates. Gang-related attacks have become a top political issue in the Scandinavian country, which in 2023 crowned itself with the dubious title of highest per capita gun violence rate in the EU.

In February, the parliament voted in favor of amendments to the Code of Judicial Procedure and the Criminal Data Act that would allow law enforcement agencies increased power to use biometrics. The amendments allow for greater use of biometric data in investigating crime and pave the way for replacing current police DNA and fingerprint records and descriptions with new biometric records.

The legislation also allowed police to cross-check biometric facial images and fingerprints of suspects with the Swedish Migration Agency database in the case of certain serious crimes. DNA-based genealogy will also be permitted under certain condition such as murder and gross rape offences.

The amendments will come into force on July 1st, 2025.

Meanwhile, the Swedish government is also discussing a new law allowing the police to use real-time facial recognition. The proposal would allow the police to use the technology while investigating serious crimes and human trafficking.

The new law is expected to be put through parliament and enter into force by January 1st, 2026.