THE BUNDESKRIMINALAMT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING AN INFORMATION SERVICE TO THE FEDERAL POLICE AND FOR INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION. INPOL ACTS AS A TRACING AND SEARCH SYSTEM FOR WANTED PERSONS AND MISSING ARTICLES, PROVIDES AUTOMATIC STORAGE AND MECHANICAL COMPARISON OF FINGERPRINTS, AND MAINTAINS A SPECIAL INFORMATION REFERENCE SERVICE ON THE ENTIRE LITERATURE OF CRIME AND CRIMINOLOGY. THE INPOL SYSTEM IS ALSO TO BE USED FOR PERFORMING THE MENIAL TASKS OF CRIME LABORATORY WORK (SUCH AS SMALL ARMS IDENTIFICATION) AND FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF AN ELECTRONIC DATA FILE OF OFFENSES AND OFFENDERS.