STAMFORD, Conn., Feb 18, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Pitney Bowes (NYSE: PBI), the leading provider of mail and document management solutions, today launches a new data collection, track and trace solution to help police departments better manage their evidence and property. With Arrival(TM) Law Enforcement, local, city and town law enforcement officials accountable for evidence management can securely track and trace handguns, forensic evidence, drugs, items and cash as these items are archived and transported between various departments during a criminal investigation or as part of the accountable chain of custody procedures within a law enforcement facility.

Today, many small-to-medium sized law enforcement agencies still use error-prone and time-consuming manual record keeping systems, where data such as item description, arresting officer and case number has to be entered by hand and then filed. The process of maintaining the trail of all movement, status, and updates for the disposition of evidence leaves departments open to risk as misplaced evidence can negatively affect court trials and create lapses in the chain of custody.

With Arrival(TM) Law Enforcement, all items can be tagged, bar-coded, and photographed via a handheld scanner or web cam, and electronically stored in a database for automated search and quick retrieval. For better security, Arrival(TM) Law Enforcement has a camera and signature pad that can capture the person's signature and record an image of the person requesting the item to sign-out or record disposition.

"With error-prone manual systems, if the record was lost, then theoretically so was the item, along with the critical audit trail that documented the chain of custody details," said Megan Higgins, Product Marketing Manager, Pitney Bowes Global Mailing Solutions. "Arrival offers a more efficient and effective solution providing visibility to property or evidence room facility contents, status and report capability. In addition to increased security, law enforcement officials have quick access to the current status of evidence eliminating lengthy searches through log books or property room locales."

Tracking certain types of evidence can be especially tricky, since the evidence often has to leave the building for lab analysis. Arrival(TM) Law Enforcement software can track when the evidence has left the building, identify the destination lab, and after it is returned and logged in, the Arrival(TM) solution can generate a report illustrating the chain of custody. In addition, the solution can be used to track a department's special equipment such as weapons, battering rams, and defibrillators.

Arrival(TM) Law Enforcement edition is an addition to the Arrival(TM) product portfolio that includes Arrival(TM) Package Tracking & Delivery Management for tracking express packages, documents and inter-office mailings between mid to large organizations, Arrival(TM) Express for smaller organizations, and Arrival(TM) LobbyTrac(TM) solution for logging Visitors and printing picture identification nametags in reception areas. Arrival(TM) Law Enforcement Edition can be customized to meet the needs of any size police department. More information about Arrival(TM) Law Enforcement Edition can be found at http://www.pb.com/lawenforcement.

Pitney Bowes is the world's leading provider of integrated mail and document management systems, services and solutions. The $5.0 billion company helps organizations of all sizes efficiently and effectively manage their mission-critical mail and document flow in physical, digital and hybrid formats. Its solutions range from addressing software and metering systems to print stream management, electronic bill presentment and presort mail services. The company's 80-plus years of technological leadership have produced many major innovations in the mailing industry, and it is consistently on the Intellectual Property Owner's list of top U.S. patent holders. With approximately 35,000 employees worldwide, Pitney Bowes serves more than 2 million businesses through direct and dealer operations. More information about the company can be found at http://www.pb.com.

Contact:
     Christopher Tessier
     Manager, Public Relations
     203-351-7210
     Christopher.Tessier@pb.com
     http://www.pb.com

SOURCE Pitney Bowes

Christopher Tessier, Manager, Public Relations of Pitney Bowes, +1-203-351-7210,
Christopher.Tessier@pb.com

http://www.prnewswire.com