Cogent Systems Announces Completion and Activation of AFIS System for the State Police Departments of Connecticut and Rhode Island.

SOUTH PASADENA, Calif. -- Total Contract and Orders Valued at Approximately $10 Million

Cogent Systems (Nasdaq:COGT) today announced the completion and activation of its Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) for the Department of Public Safety and State Police in Connecticut and Rhode Island. The total contract and orders are valued at approximately $10 million.

The new AFIS system provides fingerprint checks, which sometimes took months previously, to be returned in just minutes. Cogent Systems' technology enables new AFIS capabilities for crime solving including 4X the conventional image resolution to 1,000 pixels per inch (ppi), the use of both flat and rolled impressions for searching latent fingerprints from crime scenes and the ability to search crime scene palm prints. The AFIS system was installed ahead of plan and under the allotted budgets. According to officials from the State of Connecticut, the system, which has been in operation only for two weeks, already has hit 78 matches for cold cases that were missed by the previous system, including one related to a 1980 murder case.

"This system, which replaces ten year old technology, is a state-of-the-art system with features unmatched worldwide," commented Capt. Scott Martin, project director for the new system. "It will revolutionize how Connecticut identifies criminals and checks the criminal backgrounds of those seeking sensitive positions."

"We are very pleased to have completed this new AFIS system for Connecticut and Rhode Island," commented James Jasinski, Executive Vice President Federal and State Systems. "Cogent's advanced technology demonstrates the need for many law enforcement agencies to upgrade their AFIS systems for greater crime solving capability and thereby helping improve public safety within our communities. We are achieving a 100% ten-print identification rate and produced almost triple the number of latent print hits compared to the old system. This new technology is vital for efficiently tracking criminals, doing background checks of civilian applicants and identifying suspects from fingerprints left at crime scenes."

The new AFIS also provides integration with existing criminal justice information systems in Connecticut, Rhode Island and with the FBI's Integrated AFIS in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Cogent's system integration solution provides for an automated workflow for the entire identification process including Livescan fingerprint identification workstations at State Police Facilities and other Law Enforcement locations in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

According to Mr. Jasinski, "The advanced Cogent solution goes beyond providing system integration capabilities, it also provides a platform to support integration with next generation criminal justice information systems to meet the future needs of the Department of Public Safety and State Police in Connecticut and Rhode Island."

About Cogent Systems

Cogent is a leading provider of Automated Fingerprint Identification Systems, or AFIS, and other fingerprint biometric solutions to governments, law enforcement agencies and other organizations worldwide. Cogent's AFIS solutions enable customers to capture fingerprint images electronically, encode fingerprints into searchable files and accurately compare a set of fingerprints to a database containing potentially millions of fingerprints in seconds.

Forward-Looking Statements 

This press release contains, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management's current estimates and expectations and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Cogent is providing this information as of the date of this press release, and expressly disclaims any duty to update information contained in this press release.

Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, express and implied statements regarding Cogent's future domestic and international growth, and opportunities in the law enforcement market. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied here. Readers are referred to Cogent's Form S-1 filed by Cogent with the Securities and Exchange Commission which identifies important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: changes in government policies; deriving a significant portion of revenues from a limited number of customers; deriving a significant portion of revenues from the sale of solutions pursuant to government contracts; failure of the biometrics market to experience significant growth; failure of Cogent's products to achieve broad acceptance; failure to successfully compete; failure to comply with government regulations; negative publicity and/or loss of clients due to security breaches resulting in the disclosure of confidential information; loss of export licenses or changes in export laws; failure to manage projects; rapid technology change in the biometrics market; loss of a key member of management team; termination of backlog orders; loss of limited source suppliers; negative audits by government agencies; failure to protect intellectual property; and exposure to intellectual property and product liability claims. The information contained in this press release is a statement of Cogent's present intention, belief or expectation and is based upon, among other things, existing industry conditions, market conditions, the economy in general and Cogent's assumptions. Cogent may change its intention, belief or expectation, at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in its assumptions or otherwise. Cogent undertakes no obligation to review or confirm analysts' expectations or estimates or to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.