Many police administrators are considering purchasing automated fingerprint identification systems for their agencies. AFIS systems are replacing labor-intensive manual fingerprinting systems because they can search and identify inked fingerprints and latent prints with great accuracy and speed. Because the purchase of an AFIS system will cost a police agency considerable money, it is important to select a system that meets the specific needs of a police agency. Several vendors are marketing the AFIS systems and each claims that its system is better than the others. To ensure a better selection for its needs, the Illinois Department of State Police developed and used a unique latent print benchmark test as part of its selection process. The article describes how the benchmark test works and how the Illinois Department of State Police used it to select an AFIS system. Photographs.