DSVII-SC Selected to Bring Mobile Police Capabilities to Blackinton’s New SmartShield Badge Security System

Datastrip’s DSVII-SC Selected To Bring Mobile Police ID Capabilities to Blackinton’s New SmartShield™ Badge Security System Handheld Unit Can Perform Identity & Attendance Checks in First Responder Scenarios.

Exton, Pennsylvania, September 26, 2005 — Datastrip announced today that its RFID-enabled DSVII-SC handheld ID terminal has been selected to provide mobile badge checking capabilities for the new SmartShield™ Badge Security System unveiled this week by well-known badge supplier V.H. Blackinton & Co., Inc. The Datastrip unit can be used in first responder environments, at special events, and anywhere else in the field to retrieve badge-related records — including officer name, photo and other identifying data — by reading a radio frequency identification chip embedded in each SmartShield badge. The information is displayed on the terminal screen for identity verification.

Agencies that deploy the SmartShield badge control system can use the Datastrip unit to:

• Detect fraudulent badges by the absence of the SmartShield chip
• Confirm the identity of the badge wearer
• Prevent individuals posing as police officers from entering secured areas
• Validate unfamiliar personnel when multiple jurisdictions are involved
• Track time and attendance of emergency responders for safety purposes

Datastrip terminals can also be used to provide hardware backup for the SmartShield system in the event that a network failure or a disaster situation disables the fixed RFID readers used to track badge inventory.

“Datastrip’s DSVII-SC extends the capabilities of our SmartShield solution into the field where problems such as lost, stolen or counterfeit badges are most likely to arise,” said Peter Roque, Blackinton’s Chief Executive Officer “Now for the first time, law enforcement agencies can not only determine if a badge is authentic but also if the badge wearer is who he says he is, whether they’re in a first responder situation, guarding a political convention, or in any other mobile scenario.”

From Inventory Control to Fraud Detection
The SmartShield system consists of two components: traditional Blackinton metal badges equipped with RFID chips embedded via a proprietary process, and a special Eid™ (Enforcement Identification) software application that tracks a wide range of information on each badge in a department’s inventory.

Each SmartShield RFID chip contains a unique, tamper-proof badge identification code. When a fixed RFID reader or an RFID-enabled mobile Datastrip terminal “reads” the chip in a SmartShield badge, the SmartShield software automatically opens a corresponding information file housed on the Datastrip unit, a laptop, or the jurisdiction’s own servers. The information in that file can range from badge issuance history to the badge holder’s credentials, badge number, photograph, or even a biometric template.

The SmartShield badge can function as a physical access control system because the chip embedded in the badge replaces the traditional prox card, eliminating the need for officers to carry a separate card to gain entry to their departmental or agency facilities. The SmartShield solution also automates various aspects of badge inventory control, tracks badge issuance history, and helps protect agencies against badge fraud.

The Datastrip handheld identification terminal adds the ability for on-the-spot badge and badge wearer authentication anywhere away from departmental or agency offices. RFID readers built into each unit read the SmartShield chip, while information retrieved from the database is presented on a large digital touchscreen display that is readable in direct sunlight or low-light conditions. Each terminal also includes a built-in fingerprint sensor that can optionally be used to capture a live fingerprint for comparison with a template.

Each DSVII-SC terminal weighs less than two pounds, can retrieve data from on-board memory or an external database via wireless 802.11 or Bluetooth technology, and runs on the Windows CE.NET operating system for easy development of custom applications.

Both the SmartShield badges and the enabling software will be commercially available in early 2006. Datastrip DSVII-SC terminals are available immediately.

About Datastrip

Datastrip is a leading provider of biometric verification devices and 2D bar code software with associated hardware. Datastrip and its integration partners provide total solutions for production of ID cards, passports, national ID cards, driver’s licenses, voter registration cards, health cards, financial cards, birth certificates and other identity documents, as well as mobile AFIS and biometric verification systems. For more information, call 800-548-2517 or visit www.datastrip.com.

About Blackinton®

Blackinton® is the largest provider and manufacturer of badges and uniform insignia for law enforcement and public safety professionals. Established in 1852, the company combines old world craftsmanship with cutting edge technologies to produce the industry’s finest quality products. For information on Blackinton badges and/or SmartShield, call 800-699-4436 or visit www.blackinton.com.