Purchase of a Georgia Applicant Processing Service (GAPS) Livescan

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) moved to electronic submission of fingerprints for Georgia applicants that require either a State or Federal Criminal History Record check. This service, Georgia Applicant Processing Service (GAPS), is totally electronic and replaces the need for applicants to submit paper fingerprint cards. GAPS gives non-criminal justice agencies (public and private) the opportunity to conduct Criminal History Record searches for applicants quickly and easily.

The Cogent Livescan used in the GAPS program may be purchased by agencies or businesses in Georgia who wish to print their own employees. With the purchase of this equipment comes all rights, responsibilities and privileges afforded any of the other public Cogent GAPS sites. Those who purchase the Cogent GAPS Livescan will have access to the same secure connectivity as all other GAPS locations. All that is required for this connectivity is a broadband internet connection - there are no connectivity fees. Cogent Livescan users will have access to the same online registration, the same billing and payment options, the same reports, accounting and account management tools as other GAPS users and GAPS sites. In addition, those who purchase a Cogent GAPS Livescan will receive, on a monthly basis, a $3.00 payment for every applicant processed through their Livescan. Purchasers may open their Livescan up to public use to maximize the benefit from this $3.00 per transaction payment, or they can choose to keep their Livescan private.

What is a Livescan System?

A Livescan is nothing more than a highly accurate scanner and PC. The Livescan provides a means for capturing and submitting fingerprint images and applicants' associated demographic data. GBI will receive the submissions to begin the Criminal Record History search.

A fingerprint based Criminal History search is a three step process:

1. Registration - The applicant must register and pay. Registration and payment are completed through Cogent over the phone or online. Registration collects all demographic data for the applicant (Name, Address, SSN,…) so there is no data entry required at the fingerprint collection site. Payment can be completed via phone or online using a credit or debit card. Cogent may also bill these services to the appropriate “requesting agency.” For those who do not have the means to pay electronically, money orders or cashier's checks will also be accepted on site. No cash transactions will be allowed.

2. Fingerprinting - The applicant proceeds to the fingerprint site of their choice for fingerprinting.

3. Results - Results of the Criminal History search are forwarded to the approved recipient.

At the fingerprint site, the Applicant Livescan Operators (ALO) manages the fingerprint collection process. The ALO works with a user-friendly, Windows software interface and assists applicants with the task of fingerprinting. The fingerprint transaction begins when the ALO reviews the applicant’s qualified State or Federal photo ID before processing the applicant’s transaction.

Onc e the identity of the applicant has been established, all ten fingers are scanned to complete the process. The results of the fingerprint scanning can be seen in the screen print on the left.

The Cogent Solution for fingerprint capture promotes efficiency and ensures print quality.

The Cogent Livescan devices are incredibly easy to learn and operate. Users will require no more than an hour of training to become proficient users. The Cogent software has built-in quality control functions that do not allow the ALO to make a mistake.

The software guides operators through the capture process, with onscreen displays to help the user properly center the print during capture. If all fingers are flagged in green, as in the example above, the record is ready to be submitted.

If you are interested in providing fingerprinting services in Burke county, please contact us at 877-862-2425.