FAVI project was initiated in December 2009, when the Grant Agreement between the European Commission Directorate General for Justice, Freedom and Security and the Commander-in-Chief of the Polish Police, the project beneficiary, was signed. The Central Forensic Laboratory of the Police was responsible for the overall execution of the project.

The project has been addressed to forensic experts dealing with identification of vehicle numbers and vehicle crime combating police and law enforcement units in Europe. FAVI was designed to set up one centralized database, available on-line in 24/7 mode, where all data relating to vehicle identification are stored and exchanged by participating countries through a secured network. The database contains the information on numbers and designations used by manufacturers in different models of vehicles and machinery, such as: place of designation, manner of imposition, appearance of alphanumerical field, shape of digits, additional designations aiding a vehicle identification etc.

In the database you can also find casework-related information on various manners of forgery of identification numbers used by criminals. The database which was created, contains the vehicle identification data, which had been collected locally by different vehicle crime units and forensic laboratories across Europe. Additionally, the new tool provided for the development of international discussion forum dedicated to ongoing problem solving, exchange of research methodology, stolen vehicle information, recent advancements in technology, etc. The entire application (data acquisition and processing) along with the discussion forum are in English.

Each new user, upon being connected to FAVI, becomes informed about the rules of data input and the level of authorization to use these data.  A particular emphasis is put on the protection of information originating from car manufacturers. Encrypted access on-line and stringent protection policy provides a high level security to all the data contained in the system.

Under the FAVI project, the new application was developed and accompanied by the purchase of server, network devices and 23 sets consisting of a notebook, digital camera and scanner. The latter component is used for routine examination of vehicle identification numbers to be introduced to the application. It should be noted that FAVI is not intended for commercial use.

FAVI tool has the potential of cooperating with other existing databases and applications being developed in this field. FAVI also enables the collection and exchange of the so-called open (non-confidential) information, to be incorporated into the “electronic encyclopedia” updated on regular basis. That is the right direction towards the integration and exchange of specialized data.

At the present stage of project implementation, FAVI administrator has obtained a large number of incoming requests for connection to the system; more than 100 users from Poland and abroad have obtained the access to FAVI (Austria, Belarus, France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Slovakia, Ukraine, Latvia, Czech Republic, Germany). For security reasons, the number of users is limed now, but gradually it will be increased to face the upcoming demand.

For further information as regards the conditions for having the access to FAVI, please contact FAVI administrator, e-mail: faviadmin@policja.gov.pl