Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., today announced that a new $328 million Biometrics Technology Center is slated for construction on the campus of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division in Clarksburg.
The joint FBI and Department of Defense (DOD) facility will serve as a center of excellence for research, development, and application of biometrics in support of national security and law enforcement. The 360,000 square-foot, four-story building will nearly double the space capacity of the existing 2,500-employee FBI CJIS Division campus. Once completed, it will also enable the FBI to consolidate all of its biometrics operations, many of which are in satellite facilities in Fairmont, and will accommodate nearly 2,000 employees.
"This joint effort will further enhance our efforts in fighting the global war on terrorism," said a delighted Byrd. "And for the State of West Virginia, it will provide construction jobs and, once the building is completed, will provide the space for the FBI CJIS Division to expand employment opportunities as new advances in biometrics research emerge. This new facility will be a major shot in the arm as we continue to seek ways to diversify West Virginia's economy."
Once completed, it will allow the FBI CJIS Division, which already has the largest centralized collection of biometric information in the world, and the Department of the Army, which has also developed military biometrics database systems in coordination with the FBI, to make advances into other identification technologies, such as DNA, iris, palm prints, and facial recognition. The Biometrics Technology Center will include a Conference Training Center, which will allow the FBI CJIS Division to provide in-house biometric training to their law enforcement partners.
These enhancements will provide further opportunities to positively identify individuals and prevent terrorists, criminals, and other ineligible individuals from entering the United States, thus improving our border security.
Daniel D. Roberts, Assistant Director of the CJIS, stated, "This project epitomizes the continuing cooperative effort between Senator Byrd and the FBI to ensure the safety of American citizens. Working with our Department of Defense partners, this facility will equip the law enforcement and defense communities with the latest biometric technology for use in the war on terror and to fight violent crime in the United States."
Dr. Myra Gray, Executive Manager, Department of Defense Biometrics Task Force, added, "As long time partners with the FBI, we are thrilled to be working with them on the development of the Biometrics Technology Center, which will be located in Clarksburg, WV. It is designed to be a world-class facility that will provide even greater collaboration and efficiencies for the research and use of biometric technologies across the federal government. The successes we have realized utilizing biometrics to aid the Warfighters in identifying known and suspected terrorists have significantly advanced our defense capabilities. Biometrics have also provided DoD greater resources by which to ensure that our personnel, facilities and installations worldwide are safe and secure thanks to advanced ways to confirm and verify individual identity."
Byrd has worked with FBI and DOD officials for several years to help bring this project to fruition. A construction contract is expected to be awarded in fall 2010 with a projected completion date of 2013.
