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Crown Point institutes employee ID card policy

After a slew of scams involving thieves impersonating city employees, Crown Point, Indiana has launched a new employee identification card program. This month, all city employees will receive ID cards which they must carry during working hours. Public works employees, and those who deal directly with the public, will be required to keep their badges visibly displayed.

Most of the recent scams involved people entering homes under the guise of municipal workers. On at least six occasions, thieves have used this technique to break into and rob homes. City officials hope the new ID card program will prevent these types of burglaries by allowing residents to verify the identity of any city employee who comes to their door. Each card contains a phone number and an employee ID number. Before entering a home, the employee must allow the homeowner to call the number which connects to a police dispatcher who will ask a security question to verify the employee's status. The program is designed to protect the citizens as well as the city employees.

Evolis introduces new module for the Tattoo2

One of the most unique entry-level ID card printers is getting a minor face lift. Evolis has announced that the Tattoo2, their newest and most innovative card printer solution, has added a new module with improved print quality to produce high quality cards for a wide range of small-scale needs, including loyalty cards, gift cards, and more.

An updated driver and firmware in the new module ensure that cards printed from the Tattoo2 will be of the highest quality - providing top notch printing technology for an entry-level printer.

Read more about the Tattoo2 Card Printer...

Read more at SecureIDNews.com...

Airports take a closer look at biometric ID cards for workers

Recent security breaches, including a well-publicized incident involving ID fraud at the O'Hare Airport, have caused Congress, airports, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to push for biometric identification for airport employees nationwide. While airports have issued employee ID badges for years, the focus is now shifting towards biometrics, and the inclusion of fingerprints and iris recognition in all airport worker credentials.

In January, Congress authorized for 90-day tests of airport screening, including the use of biometric IDs, to begin in May. Biometric ID cards will be tested at Denver International and Boston Logon International airports, and the TSA will report on the tests next fall.

While Congress and the TSA move forward on this issue, an airport consortium has begun to develop its own biometric solution. The coalition is hoping for an ID card solution that allows for local control. The airports are also working with TSA on an interoperability project that would allow the identification cards to be used at more than just one airport.

It's still undetermined when the biometric credentials would be officially rolled out, and how the project would be funded.

Learn more about biometric identification.

Trying to get a new ID card lands suspended constable in even hotter water

67-year old Constable Michael Solow just can't stay away from work. After being suspended from duty while facing charges of oppression and coercion, the West Conshohocken man was taken off-duty.

This didn't stop Solow, who continued to identify himself as a constable. Even a March 31 order, stripping him of his badge, uniform and marked car, and forcing him to stop identifying himself as an officer of the law didn't work.

So determined was Solow to keep up appearances of his job that he called the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency last week and claimed that he needed a new constable ID card, due to losing his own one, even following up with a written request for a new card. After being notified of the breach of ID card policy, Solow has been charged with contempt.

Read more at Philly.com...

Elementary school tries out high tech student ID cards

While it's pretty much a given that student IDs on college campuses will serve a variety of functions beyond identification - for instance paying for meals, checking out library books, making photocopies, etc - elementary school ID programs are typically more simple. But with advanced ID card technology becoming more readily available, and affordable, many schools are re-evaluating their ID card programs, looking for ways to increase security and card functionality. One such school is Tatum Ridge Elementary in Sarasota, Fla. Tatum Ridge is one of a handful of schools in Sarasota County testing out new student ID cards that the district hopes to push countywide beginning in 2009.

The new student IDs, beyond serving as name badges, will be integrated with school meal plans. Parents can add funds to an account associated with their child's ID card which is swiped through a reader when the student moves through the lunch line. Students will also be able to use the cards to access materials in the school media center and library. There's no need for an additional library card. Another benefit of the new student ID program is the badges will quickly identify students to substitute teachers who might not know their names.

Learn more about student ID cards.

Biometric payment card to bring debit cards to rural Ghana

Consumers all over the world have, almost overnight, become universal bearers of the debit card. A plastic card, usually with a magnetic stripe (and a smart chip in many parts of the world) is used like a credit card; but instead of paying the bill off at the end of every month, the money is drawn straight from the cardholder's bank account. This secure, easy way to pay for almost everything has made the debit payment card system wildly popular.

One place where debit cards haven't taken off, however, is Ghana. Like many other remote and underdeveloped areas of the world, Ghana's infrastructure only supports debit card functions in large cities like Accra. Residents in rural areas, where telecommunications and electronic services may be unreliable at best, have to rely on cash only, without the protection a bank account offers. However, a biometrics card called E-Zwich is hoped to help expand the use of debit cards to more remote areas.

The E-Zwich cards features many of the same features as normal debit cards, but it also features a fingerprint for verification. This way, even if lack of telecommunications or electricity makes it difficult to completely verify the transaction, store owners and the card holder can still verify the transaction is legitimate by examining the fingerprint on the card. Simultaneously analog and digital, the E-Zwich card brings the promise of debit transactions and the security of bank accounts to areas where yesterday's technology cannot reach.

Read more at SecureIDNews.com...

Hospital visitor photo badges a new requirement after attempted babynapping

Central Florida Regional Hospital has recently initiated a new series of more rigorous security measures and checks after an attempted baby-napping last month. On March 28th, a one-year old boy was taken from the post-partum ward of the hospital by an unidentified (and unauthorized visitor). Thankfully, the child was found and the kidnapper apprehended just an hour later, but the hospital had a wakeup call that their security was lacking and needed a major revamp.

Now, hospital visitors will be issued a photo ID from the hospital. This visitor badge must be displayed at all times. In addition to the visitor cards, a guard will be posted outside the maternity ward at all times, and another will be patrolling the ward at random, ensuring that the facility is safe. Finally, to make sure that nothing slips through a crack, all "baby-sized" bags leaving the hospital with visitors will be inspected.

Read more at the Orlando Sentinel...

Dementia patients to receive ID cards

In Singapore, a new ID card program is about to launch that aims to protect those suffering from dementia. The cards will be distributed to dementia patients so that members of the public can contact the patient's family if he or she found lost or wandering around.

Dementia is a degenerative brain condition that often results in memory lapses. Patients with the condition are unable to care for themselves as it gets worse. They are known to wander from their homes and get lost. The ID cards are meant to be worn on a lanyard around the neck. The information on the card includes the patient's name, spoken language, and contact info for family members. Other important information such as drug allergies will also be included.

Currently, 20,000 people in Singapore are afflicted with dementia.

Learn more about healthcare ID cards.

Secure biometrics gym ID card now required for Middle Tennessee State Students

The days of simply showing student ID cards to attendants at Middle Tennessee State University's rec center are over. Under a new ID card program aimed at higher security, upwards of 23,000 MTSU students are required to trade in their current ID cards, which simply had magnetic stripes, for new Blue ID Cards, which enable biometric features in order to ensure higher security.

Hand geometry technology is the basis of the new Blue ID Card, which takes a scan of the outline of the hand and stores it in a database. When a student enters the MTSU gym with a new Blue ID card, they will first place their hand on a special biometrics-enabled reader that can perform a hand scan and match it to a pre-existing file. After the scan is completed, the student will then have to enter the last four digits of their student ID number. Along with being a more effective way of identifying students, it will also prevent card sharing, where students or unauthorized visitors would borrow a friend's card to use the facilities (a common problem before the implementation of this new ID card program

Read more about the new Blue ID Card at the MTSU Sidelines...

Valparaiso University to require student ID cards for residence hall access

Valparaiso University is ending daytime open access to its dormitories and plans on setting up a card-based access control system by this summer or the start of the next school year. The new system will require student ID cards to open all residence hall entrances.

Valparaiso is just one of many schools taking this step in terms of access control. Campus security has been a huge issue in recent years, and providing tighter security for residence halls is one way to better protect students. With enhanced technology, schools can now create multifunctional student IDs which can be integrated into an access control system using magnetic stripe, proximity card, or contactless smart card encoding.

Proximity cards and contactless smart cards have become quite popular for this application because of the convenience they offer, as well as their strong security features. A system designed to handle these types of cards would require a student to simply waive their student ID card in front of a special reader in order to gain access to their dormitory.

Other benefits of card-based access control for residence halls include integration with alarm systems and automated alerts, and the ability handle lockdown situations in cases of emergency.

Instant identification, security benefits of new county employee ID badges

Armed guards at secure buildings weren't enough for LaSalle county, IL administrators - a recent decision has made it so that every coutny employee in the county's courthouse will be required to wear an ID badge and lanyard at all times during work hours. Members of the Courthouse and Jail committee designed the policy in February, and while the kinks of the program are still being ironed out, county employees can expect to have their ID photos soon.

Sheriff Tom Templeton sees the ID badges as a major step towards getting the county facilities towards the level of needed security, saying that the badges, constantly around the necks of employees, will provide instant identification, and help establish visual security more quickly. Guards and other employees should be able to easily tell whether an unfamiliar face is somewhere they belong - not by looking at their face, but at the badge around their neck.

Read more at mywebtimes.com...

Washington DC introduces One Card ID program

In an effort to build multiple functions into a single ID card, the Washington DC city government has unveiled the “One Card.” The photo ID serves as a resident's ID card, while also allowing the holder to access public services at locations such as libraries, pools, and parks. Additionally, the card can function as a student ID, and there are plans to integrate the One Card into the Metro public transportation system. It will also be used as an access card for DC government buildings and programs.

The aim of the One Card is to add convenience, and cut costs by incorporating a variety of functions into one ID card program. This June, for instance, children participating in the city's Summer Youth program will receive One Cards, as will students at all Washington DC public schools next fall. Consolidating different card types into a single program is expected to yield long-term savings for government operations, and offers cardholders a great deal of convenience by eliminating the need to carry different cards for every imaginable function.

Read more at DC.gov...

Department of Defense to issue new contactless PIV cards to military and civilian employees

The Department of Defense is making improvements to its ID card program in order to meet the requirements of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12. HSPD-12 calls for new personal identification verification (PIV) cards to be issued to all military and civilian employees working for the DoD. The enhanced PIV cards will use contactless card technology to provide physical and logical access to facilities as well as computer systems.

In order to enter DoD buildings, cardholders will be able to waive their identity passes by a reader that interprets the data stored on the ID card. The DoD already has about 2,300 contactless card stations in buildings worldwide for its existing Common Access Card program. Those stations are being upgraded for the rollout of the new HSDP-12 cards.

The HSDP-compliant identification cards look much different than the old Common Access Card. The new IDs feature a wavy background to prevent counterfeiting. They are contactless smart cards, and they include sophisticated features that greatly enhance security, both for protecting the card holder, as well as the Department's facilities and highly sensitive computer systems.

Learn more about military ID cards.

University ID card has new use: laundry

Laundry can be low on the priority list for many college students, with students quoting pressing food and video game issues that supersede clean clothes - but now Drury University students have no excuses for their dirty laundy. New ID card readers on the school's washing machines and dryers in their laundry facilities were recently installed to streamline the laundry payment process.

Instead of sifting through jacket pockets, the bottoms of purses, and beneath couch cushions, Drury University students only need to swipe their student ID cards through the laundry machine card readers. Voila! Laundry paid for. Students must add money to their cards at certain campus offices in order for the card readers to be effective, but the process seems to be less of a hassle to many of the students - including a freshman who says she prefers to spend her would-be laundry quarters at McDonald's.

Read more at the Drury Mirror...

Registered Traveler ID card program has 100k members

Last year, we reported on a Registered Traveler program, a brainchild of the Transportation Safety Administration, which is designed to expedite the security screening process for frequent business travelers. This week, the American Association of Airline Executives has announced that the program, since its inception in 2007, has recently received the paperwork for the 100,000th enrollment.

In the registered traveler program, frequent travelers may apply for a special secure ID card which allows them to circumvent the normal check-in and security processes at airport by going through a special security gate. To take advantage of these shortcuts, travelers must undergo a rigorous security background check and pay a small fee. Once passed, they recieve a secure Registered Traveler ID card, which they show as they pass through the special security section. For business travelers who are on the road several times a month, this efficient alternative to waiting in the snaking security line can be a life (and meeting) saver.

The Registered Traveler program started out in the Washington D.C. area, at Washington Dulles and Reagan Washington National airports, but has expanded to 16 airports, from Reno to Cincinatti. Ten more airports have expressed interest in the program, and airports in Canada have also started to show interest in this efficient program for frequent travelers.

Read more at SecureIDNews.com.

Ithaca College installs ID card access control system for residence halls

Ithaca College has begun installation of a new access control system for residence halls. The new system will require students to use their ID cards, rather than keys, to enter buildings. Special key card access boxes on the outer doors of residence halls will read the student IDs to grant access.

The new access control system will be piloted on specific residence halls next fall, before a full rollout. All student ID cards will be replaced with new cards designed for use with the keyless entry system.

Benefits of the system include enhanced security and convenience. If a door is damaged, or propped open, the system automatically alerts Public Safety. And if a student loses his or her ID card, it can simply be deactivated before someone else can use it to gain entry.

Read more in the Ithacan Online...

Learn more about access control for residence halls...

HID unveils Fargo HDP5000 ID Card System at ISC West

ID card accessories aren't the only thing world identification leader HID had up its sleeve this week at ISC west - the worldwide leader in card production also unveiled a new ID card system involving its newest and most advanced printer - the HDP5000. Based around the HDP5000's High Definition Printing (HDP) technology, Fargo's HDP5000 Card Identity System promises to be a comprehensive and secure card printing solution that prints only the highest quality cards.

Like other Fargo printers, the HDP5000 has a modular design that allows the printer to grow along with an organization's needs. This innovative design feature allows users to purchase a simple single-sided printer, then expand it with double-sided, lamination and encoding modules (for magnetic stripes, smart cards, and contactless smart cards). A wide variety of modules and easy field installation makes the Fargo HDP5000 and the HDP5000 system one of the most flexible card printing solutions on the market today.

Read more about the Fargo HDP5000

Read more about the HDP5000 ID card System at Fargo.com

HID announces new ID card accessories at ISC West

HID Global, a worldwide leader in ID card printers, announced yesterday at ISC West 2008 that it would be adding a line of ID card accessories to its current offerings. HID's new line of card accessories includes:

Lanyards - in five different styles (including woven and flat varieties), with seven different colors and five different options for attachment.

Four different styles of retractable reels, with sixteen color choices and two clip options

Five styles of clear badge holders.

Five different kinds of vinyl strap clips.

ID accessories are vital to many different ID card applications, especially those like offices, schools and retail stores - where ID cards need to be visible at all times. HID's new line of ID card accessories can help expand business as well as make creating a comprehensive photo ID system easier than ever. Read more at CR80 News...

Latino group develops ID card program to aid emergency service providers

A Latino community group in Asbury Park, New Jersey, is building a new ID card program in an effort to improve communications with emergency service providers. The cards are not considered official documents, but include each resident's name, photo, birth date, address, and phone number. For those who speak very little English, the cards will also include the phone number of a friend who can help translate for police when Spanish-speaking officers are not available.

These ID cards could prove valuable in situations where police officers must quickly gather information from a member of the community about a crime or incident. Police are also hopeful that the cards will enable them to track down and notify family members when Spanish-speaking residents are taken to the hospital on first aid calls.

The Latino Network community group will handle distribution of the ID cards.

New multifunctional ID badges mandatory at Bay Area high school

A new school ID card isn't exactly news. School ID badges are so commonplace that most new ID cards can be shrugged off as just another card. However - this is not the case when the schools add access control to the mix.

James Logan High School in Union City, CA, has done just that. James Logan students who forget their ID cards won't just lose lunch or library checkout privileges for a day - they won't even be let inside the school. Starting today, the 4,000 students at Logan high school will have their ID visually inspected by a teacher or staff member before being granted entrance into the school.

The new ID card rules have arisen as a new approach to safety at James Logan. Building and student security has been under intense scrutiny over the past year, prompted by an incident where a student was shot as he ran off-campus to seek safety. The new initiative will be in place until the end of the school year, where it will be reconsidered. Until then, though, students had better be ready to show their IDs at the door.

Read more at ABC...

ID cards add a new twist to traditional background checks

For companies looking to hire a new employee, the process is often the same. First the resumes, then the interviews and narrowing down of the potential candidates. The last step could possibly be the most important one - the background check - companies have traditionally turned to internet databases that can either show the potential employee as nothing but hireable or the exact opposite. Problem is, many of these online databases are incomplete, giving employers only a partial picture of the applicant's past. Now, an Arizona-based company called CrimShield offers companies and organization a full sweep of an applicant's background - with a twist. When the employee has been approved by CrimShield's fine-toothed combs, they're given a customized ID badge.

Not only does the badge show that the bearer is approved to work at their employer, but it bears the employer's logo, as well as a customized ID number that employers can use to peruse their employee's records in the CrimShield database. Even better - CrimShield even offers a service that allows business owners and management to send out emails to potential clients to notify them that their representatives have gone through a rigorous background check. For customers that use CrimShield-approved plumbers, yard workers, and electricians, the ID badge can be more than just a nametag, but a symbol of safety and assurance.

Read more at AZCentral.com...

Smart Cards a new reality for Jefferson County Employees

Jefferson County employees in Beaumont, TX, are getting used to carrying their new employee ID cards. The cards, the first phase of a new county security plan passed last August, have a data chip (like the HID iClass) inside the card that stores personal data like name, date of hire, and departmental information.

The next step in Jefferson County's new safety initiative is to install electronic entrances, x-ray machines, and metal detectors at county buildings. The projected electronic entrances will probably be used in tandem with the cards for a type of access control system that allows county employees access to buildings and rooms with their employee ID cards.

Currently, three hundred of Jefferson County's 1000 employees have their ID badges.

Read more at KFDM.com...

UAE ID cards to have ATM features

The United Arab Emirates is the newest country in a long line of nations to establish a national ID card program. National ID cards help identify citizens and also may guarantee services like healthcare, or serve as a driver's license. The difference with the new UAE national ID card? ATM functionality.

That's right, citizens of Dubai and other UAE cities will be able to withdraw money from their bank accounts with their national ID cards. A technology called SpanCash will link Emirati citizen data from their ID cards to their individual bank accounts in the hopes that the new cards will be more efficient and beneficial for Emiratis.

SpanCash doesn't just grant bank access either - pensions, disbursements, grants, refunds, water and electric bills and more can be paid with and refunded through the SpanCash/UAE ID program, and the new functionality will allow Emiratis to make payments through SMS/text, by web, or over the phone. It's also hoped that the new, streamlined card system will help resolve payroll issues that have plagued the country's booming blue collar industry for years.

Read more at FindBiometrics.com...

RFID card system designed for tracking school bus riders

Zona Systems, a Seattle-based company, has developed an RFID-based system that aims to enhance security for children making bus trips to and from school. Using RFID technology, the new ZPass system makes it possible to identify when a student boards or exits the school bus. Each student is issued a unique RFID card. A special reader on the bus recognizes the card, even if it's kept in the student's wallet or backpack. No waiving or swiping of the card is required. The system provides parents and school officials with peace of mind by tracking each child's daily journey.

Here's how the ZPass system works: As the student enters the school bus, a card reader captures the time, date, and location, then transmits that information to a secure database. Authorized school personnel can then access the information remotely using a standard Web browser. This allows them to keep better track of children from the time they first board the bus in the morning to the moment they're dropped off after school.

HID and Dynamic Card team up for instant issuance financial card system

HID Global announced today that it has joined forces with Dynamic Card Solutions to develop and launch CardWizard FCP 20/20, an instant issuance system for printing financial cards. CardWizard FCP 20/20 works using the same high definition printing technology found in Fargo's line of HDP ID card printers. Fargo's high definition printing process enables users of the system to produce sophisticated, full-color cards on the fly, with sophisticated security features and high definition graphics.

The CardWizard FCP 20/20, used in conjunction with Dynamic Card Solutions' CardWizard software, provides a secure and fully automated system for instant financial card issuance, activation, and PIN selection. Cards can be fully personalized on the spot, and financial branches using the system will no longer need multiple pre-printed card stocks to issue various card types. Each card can be printed on demand.

Other benefits of the system, besides instant issuance, include increased security, simplified branch operations, and opportunities for brand marketing.

University of Wisconsin faculty ID cards get new security features

Students, faculty and staff at universities nationwide have been making the switch from social security numbers to 9 digit ID numbers for several years - now it's time for UW-Madison to trade in their cards. Some 9,000 professors, instructors and other university faculty will be turning in their old ID cards in exchange for a new one that features a 9 digit identifying ID number instead of the traditional social security number.

Social security numbers were used for many years as a form of identifying information on college campuses; the advent of identity theft and nationwide trends toward protecting social security numbers has caused many schools to change their policies to protect sensitive information.

Read more at Channel 3000...

Blackboard Communications responds to school security concerns with new contactless student ID cards

Blackboard Communications Systems, a networking tool used by universities and learning institutions around the globe, announced that it has joined forces with Sony to produce contactless student ID card systems in the United States. Blackboard is an online teaching aid, in which students and professors may share information, lecture notes, upload assignments and communicate online. Now, Blackboard is venturing into the security business. The multi-functional cards Blackboard plans to develop would combine access, data and security systems. These state-of-the-art ID cards would function as debit cards, building entrance cards, class schedule data devices and more. Professors may even use the cards as a way to take attendance for classes.

The cards will contain FeliCa chips, which integrate with cell phones, door access readers and other card readers-- both attended and unattended. From Japan to the Phillipines, FeliCa chips make transit passes and financial cards work. But Blackboard hopes to use these contactless student ID badges not only for convenience, but to deter and prevent violence in schools, since school shootings have unfortunately become an increasingly regular occurence. If the FeliCa cards are used in conjunction with students' cell phones, it would be possible to send text message updates to all students in the event of class cancellation or, on a more sober note, an emergency lockdown.

Read more about Blackboard's contactless smart card program here.

A major blow for airport security

In a shocking blow for Chicago O'Hare's reputation, federal and local law enforcement officials arrested 24 illegal workers they suspect were using fake security badges to work in restricted areas of the O'Hare airport. The badges were actually real, but deactivated O'Hare ID cards, and police are at a loss to explain how workers still managed to gain access to sensitive areas with the non-functioning cards. Police also apprehended two managers at Ideal Staffing Solutions, Inc., the temp agency that hired illegal immigrants knowingly and provided them with the false IDs, which gave them access to purportedly secure areas around O'Hare. Most of the workers loaded freight for companies doing business with O'Hare-- including commercial airlines.

One specific incident involved Ideal Staffing Solutions manager Norinye Benitez, who allegedly presented a box of 20 ID cards to a worker, instructing him to choose a card with a photograph that most closely resembled himself. Federal agents had enlisted that worker to help them prove that the badges could be used to access sensitive areas of the airport. He ended up using the card to access a United Airlines cargo area. Now, Benitez, who is also in the United States illegally, faces up to 10 years in prison for harboring illegal immigrants and misusing a Social Security number. A police report found that of 120 applications for airport badges submitted by Ideal, 110 of the individuals used false or stolen Social Security numbers.

Aside from the terrifying knowledge that any one of these people had access to cargo that would be directly transferred onto commercial jets, this story reminds us that airport security doesn't stop with passengers. It's up to the airlines to make sure that all of their employees are who they say they are-- and have up-to-date ID badges. We can only hope that this was a freak occurence and not the norm.

Find out more about the false ID situation at O'Hare here.

Local communities put ID card technology to work to protect their children

From Missouri to Utah, parents are learning that it never hurts to be too cautious. Last year’s infamous Michael Devlin kidnapping and child abuse case has spurred a resurgence of child identification database and ID card creation in Missouri, where Devlin held Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby captive in his Kirkwood, MO apartment. While Hornbeck and Ownby were fortunate enough to escape with their lives, the abuse they suffered has left parents wondering what they can do to protect their children—or, at the very least, help get them home safely and quickly—from the nightmare of child abduction.

Enter the Missouri Child Identification & Protection Program (MoCHIP), a free organization that provides parents with their child’s ID card and a mini-disc containing a copy of their fingerprints and digital photographs. The minidisc is compatible with the Amber Alert system (a nationwide alert that goes out whenever a child goes missing) so that law enforcement officials have that information already on hand. Children also bite down on a dental “wafer” that seals the child’s DNA in a plastic casing. So far, MoCHIP has prepared these ID kits for more than 36,000 Missouri children, and its popularity is expected to increase as more parents become aware that the free service exists.

Meanwhile, across the country, the Rotary Club of American Fork, Utah recently raised the funds to launch a similar program to create free Amber Alert Child IDs for parents whose missing children may have been abducted and are facing imminent danger. In an emergency, parents should call police and give the 14-digit number on their child’s card, which helps save precious seconds. Distressed parents may not be in the right condition to give information on a child’s appearance, but with the Amber Alert Child ID system, police can use the number to look up a child’s information and begin the search as fast as possible. All work is voluntary, and they are currently raising money to ID as many local children as possible.

Read more for more information on the Missouri child ID program.

Mary Immaculate College secures campus with proximity card access control system

These days, the typical student ID card carries much more than a name and photo. For students enrolled at Ireland's Mary Immaculate College, the cards now provide access to campus buildings, dormitories, and their dorm rooms. The college recently installed a proximity card access control system that involves wall readers, IP-based door locks, and other integrated security features, all operating across a single network. To gain access to campus buildings, students must now hold their student IDs up to special proximity card reader. The cards provide convenience, enhanced security, and completely eliminate the need to carry physical keys.

With electronic access control upping the level of campus safety for students and staff, school officials are now looking at other ways to utilize the new and improved students IDs. Possibilities for additional functions include integration with student printing and photocopying, cashless vending, and parking fees.

Learn more about campus access control systems...

University requires ID cards for late night library access

Washington University in St. Louis has recently enacted a policy that requires students, faculty and staff to present their student ID cards when entering the Olin Library and the attached Whispers Cafe after 9PM.

Officials anticipate that the March 16 switchover will not cause many problems - students have been able to access the Olin library without an ID card up until midnight - the new program just moves the time back three hours. The reason for the change? Uniformity - other buildings on the Washington University campus are open only until 9 PM, and administrators wanted to ensure that every building on the campus has the same access control policy.

While the hours of operation for the Olin Library and Whispers Cafe will not change, the new access control program is a good example of how many schools and other large organizations are creating card programs and rules to help ensure uniformity and security.

Read more at the Student Life...

Employee ID cards to serve as bus pass for Indiana employees

Buses, subways, and other forms of public transportation are quickly becoming more popular commute alternatives as the price of gas rises and traffic becomes more congested. State Farm Insurance in Indiana has launched a test program that will give their employees free bus fare from April 21 through May 17 - to see how many of its 14,000 Bloomington-area employees will catch on to a different type of commute.

Employees interested in trying out the bus will only need to show their State Farm employee ID badge, and the $0.75 fare will be waived. Drivers will track the employees on the bus, and State Farm will reimburse the Bloomington-Normal Transit System for the cumulative amount of fares at the end of the trial period.

While this could be a somewhat costly investment for State Farm, it may forge a deeper connection between the two entities in the future. Many public transit bureaus have teamed up with local businesses to offer some kind of discounted public transit fare. Traditionally, employees will display their ID card when boarding the bus, and the ID card will have some sort of logo or emblem indicating its use as a transit card as well as a piece of employee ID.

Read more about the Bloomington-State Farm program at Pantagraph.com...

HID merges with ASSA ABLOY Identification Technologies

HID Global, a world leader in identification solutions, announced last week that it has merged with ASSA ABLOY Identification Technologies - ASSA ABLOY will now operate as HID Global, and the merger promises many improvements in areas like technology development and identity solution in an age where ID cards and accurate identification is becoming more and more important.

Perhaps HID is most well known for their iClass Contactless Smart Card Technology, an ID card solution that provides powerful access control in a flat (not clamshell shaped) card. HID also makes advanced "next generation" smart card readers that can be customized by users to fit their exact needs - and can be configured to work with other types of cards.

The HID/ASSA ABLOY merger has the promise to strengthen the offerings that HID currently provides, and a new wealth of information should mean improved and more flexible technology in the future.

Read more at HIDcorp.com

La Salle County looks to secure government buildings with proposed ID badge program

Individuals who work or visit government buildings in La Salle County, Ill. might be required to wear identification badges in the not-so-distant future. The county’s Courthouse and Jail Committee has been asked to explore the idea of enhancing security for county facilities, most notably the courthouse, and the Governmental and Criminal Justice complex. There is concern that it’s too easy for unauthorized individuals to slip past security and access the buildings. An ID card program would help to ensure that access is only granted to the appropriate employees and visitors.

While board members are already issued IDs, most simply carry them in their wallets. The committee is exploring alternatives to the current system. One idea is to employ a more sophisticated card-based access control system that uses electronic card readers. Restricted areas would only be accessible for authorized employees with a certain ID card. Another option - less costly, and probably less secure - is to require employees to leave their badges at the security desk when they arrive, then pick up the cards when they leave. This would allow security to keep a record of who’s in and out.

Read more in The Times...

Los Angeles adds HID iClass access control card program for city employees

Public offices in Los Angeles aren't concentrated - like the city, municipal office buildings and employees are scattered throughout the Los Angeles Basin. From its three city halls to the utility companies, employees had long used independent security systems - with each building being responsible for producing its own entry and access control cards.

Keeping tabs on multiple systems wasn't effective in the long run for the LA city government - with each requiring different software, databases and setup, the independent systems quickly became a drain on both security and administrative budgets. In order to combat the problem, the LA city government is rolling out a universal access control card system based on HID's iClass technology. This versatile card technology supports multiple uses while remaining one of the most user-friendly products on the market.

Along with making administration and management of the city's multiple buildings easier, security has been streamlined. Now with the iClass cards, which all function from the same database, authorities can be notified quickly and efficiently should something in one of the city's many buildings go awry.

NACO develops smart card program for AIDS patients

In New Delhi, the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) is pushing a plan that would provide AIDS patients with electronic smart cards containing their entire case history. The aim of the program is to ensure continuity in the treatment of patients seeking care at Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centers located throughout the country.

New Delhi's ART Centers provide free treatment to AIDS patients. With the smart card, it will be much easier for these patients to receive proper and consistent care, even when traveling from one city to another. By issuing electronic smart cards, NACO will also be able to more accurately keep track of the growing number of AIDS patients in the country. The organization is currently in the process of computerizing medical records, and plans to issue the smart cards later this year.

Oklahoma City group adopts ID cards for homeless

The homeless citizens of Oklahoma City may have more efficient and helpful services in the near future, thanks to an ID card developed by the directory of the city's Homeless Alliance. The ID card program, called the Homeless Management Information System, will store the demographic information of homeless people who commonly use city services.

The homeless who provide information to the database will be given a photo ID card in turn that will be presented when they check into a shelter or food kitchen. Database entries for card holders will be updated regularly. The Homeless Management Information System came to be after fears arose about an antibiotic-resistant strain of tuberculosis was spreading nationwide and in Oklahoma City. With an ID card program, Oklahoma's homeless shelters, soup kitchens, clinics, and other homeless care providers can quickly check on a person's history, monitor trends among the population, and help avoid preventable tragedies.

Transit lines explore smarter smart card solutions

Many rail, bus, and other transit systems are making the switch to smart cards for quick and easy fare payments. But how convenient is it if you have to carry a different card for each form of transportation, or for mass transit systems in different cities? To solve this problem, a number of cities are exploring ways to develop programs which use a single card for multiple transit systems, even those operating in different regions.

In Pennsylvania, Jersey, and throughout the Northeast, for instance, public transit authorities are moving from tokens and tickets to contactless cards. One idea is to develop a smart card which is compatible with SEPTA, PATCO and NJ Transit. This mutually acceptable card would serve as a handy E-ZPass for transit riders. But in order for the program to come to fruition, each of the transit systems must agree to move forward with standardized cards. The technology is certainly there. Now it's up to the transit agencies to determine how important cross-system compatibility is to its riders.

Read more in The Philadelphia Inquirer...

Pet ID card gives owners reassurance while traveling

Aside from being randomly searched, losing your toiletries under the strict no-liquid policy, and having your airline conveniently drop your luggage in say, Kathmandu instead of Kalamazoo, traveling with a pet is one of the more stressful traveling experiences. There's the weight limits, the exact measurements of the traveling crate, making sure that a pet will be safe and comfortable in the cargo hold or cabin, and finally, waiting out the anxiety of a long plane ride.

To help reduce the stress levels that are already pumping through airports - many pet owners have started to make pet ID cards. Two cards are made - one for the crate and one for the owner's wallet - with information like name, breed, address, owner name and phone numbers, veterinarian, microchip number, alternate contact information and any other important information like allergies on the front of the card. A photo can also be used in case of a monumental mix-up. With the card prominently affixed to the crate and stuck in the owner's wallet, miscommunications and mishandling can be greatly reduced, while helping owners retain peace of mind.

Aside from plane rides, Pet ID cards can help during doggie day care, kenneling during vacations, vet trips, at the groomer's or at pet stores where dogs and other animals are encouraged to run free.

NiSCA introduces PR-C101 entry-level ID card printer

Team NiSCA has added a new entry-level, single-sided printer to it product line. The NiSCA PR-C101 ID card printer is suitable for basic, low-volume ID card applications. The printer has a compact footprint, allowing it to tuck into virtually any office setting, while also making it perfect for portable use.

The NiSCA PR-C101 has several unique features in its design. By adjusting the driver setting, you can switch the card exit location from the front of the printer to the back depending on the setup of your workspace. The printer also features a unique rotating LCD display panel that provides printer status messages and diagnostic prompts. To ensure consistent print quality, the PR-C101 uses all-in-one ribbon cartridges that include a cleaning roller. This also makes the printer easier to maintain.

Other highlights of the NiSCA PR-C101 include 24-bit, dye-sublimation printing, a printer security port, and password protection so only authorized users can operate the device.

Trainline introduces smart card fare system for UK rail passengers

A smart card system known as Trainline Smart is being rolled out in the UK as a convenient new way to pay for rail and bus fares. Trainline expects its new service to account for half of all rail ticket sales by 2012. Not only does the program add convenience, it also reduces the need for producing paper tickets. Currently, Trainline Smart is being deployed in stages across UK rail and bus systems. In time it will serve as an upgrade the London Underground Oyster smart card ticketing system.

With Trainline Smart, passengers can use their cards for journeys to and from any UK station that accepts smart ticketing. Smart ticket fares are purchased online or via mobile phone, then downloaded onto the passenger's card at rail and bus stations, or at home using an inexpensive smart card reader/writer. Tickets are validated at smart-enabled ticket gates or by onboard train managers with handheld readers.

The Trainline Smart program is seen as a giant step forward in building an integrated national smart ticketing system that will eventually require passengers to carry a single card for all bus, subway, and train journeys.

School administrators in Iowa use ID cards to keep hallways safe

Students at Sioux City's West High School must now carry ID cards with them at school after administrators got tired of breaking up hallway fights. Assistant principal Jacque Wyant says the ID cards, along with several other security measures, has reduced the number of physical fights on school grounds. But the ID cards aren't just for security. The ID cards work in conjunction with the school's new freshman mentoring program and the transformation of a locker bay that was once a popular spot for altercations into a student lounge for upperclassmen.

The cards also contain student privilege information for the school's reward system. West High administration rewards students that earn credits and behave well with "prizes" like extended lunchtime and early dismissal. If a student loses an ID card, the first replacement is free. After that, a student may pay five dollars or do community service in the building to pay for other cards. With the card program, administrators hope to teach responsibility as well as keep the peace. And while students don't always like the badge system, they do enjoy reaping the benefits of good behavior. Thanks to the program's success, other high schools in the area will implement similar programs in the near future.

Read more about Sioux City's ID card program here.

College ID card program helps trace stolen ID card

When you're a college student living in the dorms, your ID card can quickly become a center of your universe. That simple ID card can serve as the key to your room, the key to your mailbox, your way to check out library books and other materials, and most importantly - your meal ticket. ID card programs for colleges and universities often incorporate payment options into their student ID cards, which can make mealtime easier for everyone - until their ID card is lost or stolen.

For a Syracuse student, this recently became a reality. After not being able to find his ID card and meal card, the student reported his card stolen - and discovered that it had been used to purchase over $100 of stolen food without his permission. After some quick detective work within the ID card program and other security systems, administrators traced the illicit ID card use to a cousin of Syracuse basketball player Scoop Jardine. Further investigation about the stolen ID card is underway.

The quick resolution of this case is due to the efficiency of Syracuse's student ID card program and the ability of workers to use both the card program and other security systems to track down the offender quickly. But could it be prevented? One way to help further prevent stolen meal cards and ID card misuse among students could be to use an ID card software program which would display the student ID card picture every time the card is used. Biometric information encoded into an ID card, such as fingerprints, used in conjunction with the card at check out, can also help prevent unauthorized purchases like the one at Syracuse.

Read more about the theft at Read more about the theft at SportingNews.com.

New taxi driver ID card extends airport security beyond the terminal

Houston's two airports - Houston Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental Aiport - are two of the biggest and busiest airports in the country. Serving as hubs for major airlines, and in one of the biggest business centers around, Houston airports are always bustling with travelers - and Houston's cabbies swarm outside the baggage claims in yellow pools, waiting to take the thousands of air travelers that pass through Houston airports to their next destination.

In an effort to increase security in Houston's busy air travel centers, a program has been proposed that would spread airport security outside the sliding glass doors of the terminals. Under the program, taxi drivers serving the airport would be required to undergo FBI background checks and be granted an operating license for driving a cab to and from the airport.

Cabbies that pass the test would be given an airport photo ID badge, which they will be required to wear at all times.

Read more at the Houston Chronicle...

Lenape Regional High School District turns to LobbyGuard for visitor IDs and management

New Jersey's Lenape Regional High School District has installed an electronic visitor management system know as LobbyGuard in each of its four schools. The system is used to monitor visitors on school grounds. Electronic visitor management systems are a major improvement over the traditional paper sign-in sheets of old. With these new systems, schools are able to print photo ID badges on the spot and track visitors, create databases, run background checks, and more.

For Lenape's high schools, LobbyGuard kiosks have been set up to improve security by keeping record of all visitors who enter. Upon checking in, visitors must first type in their name and have their driver's license scanned. A digital photo of the visitor is taken and a photo ID badge is printed. The badge includes the visitor's photo and information such as date, time, and purpose of the visit. Another key element of the system is its ability to perform instant background checks against the National Sex Offender Registry, and any red-flag lists created by the school.

Learn about electronic visitor management systems available from Alpha Card...

London's 'Evening Standard' introduces smart card payment system

Ever had the urge to purchase an afternoon newspaper, only to come up empty when searching your pockets for loose shrapnel? In London, spare change is no longer necessary, as you can now obtain a copy of The Evening Standard, the city's daily tabloid, by paying with a handy smart card. They're calling it the “Eros” card, in reference to the Piccadilly Circus statue and the figure on the paper's nameplate.

Evening Standard vendors have experienced lagging sales recently, facing stiff competition with a number of free daily rags, dubbed “freesheets,” now circulating throughout town. With the Eros smart card, the paper is hoping to gain back some readers by adding convenience to their daily routine. The card uses near-field communications technology. Essentially, it's a tap-and-go payment system. Customers are able to touch the card to a special device at the newspaper stand to make their purchase. They even receive rewards and discounts for frequent purchasing.

Read more about this unique use of smart cards in Editor & Publisher...

Indiana Congressman: Biometrics are essential for effective ID cards

Increasing worries over homeland security and protection have spawned many debates about preventative measures. The upcoming presidential election and current events have made us familiar with some of the most popular ones - airline security measures like liquids bans and a fence along the US-Mexico border, for instance. But, Indiana representative Mark Souder says that one of the most important security measures the United States can have is the ability to track and record biometric information - not just for visitors into the country, but for normal ID cards like drivers licenses, and that security of our ID cards is intrinsically linked to the security of the country.

Representative Mark Souder is convinced that incorporating simple biometric elements like fingerprints into ID cards (like drivers licenses) is one of the only ways to help maintain security - in airports and in places like the DMV. Unique indicators, according to Souder, are the one thing that assure that a piece of identification does, in fact, belong to its holder. Removing any fears or doubts about the holder of the card could make border crossings and customs much easier - and safer - for everyone.

Read more at ISC365.com

Rewards card finds unlikely new home

Those little rewards cards are everywhere - grocery stores and membership clubs pass them out and customers use them to get discounts and special deals when buying groceries and other everyday households.

The Pacific Standard bar in New York City has launched a new membership card program that, like other memberships and customer rewards programs, gives bar patrons rewards for money and time spent in the Pacific Standard. This rewards program provides members with a photo ID card, and customers earn one point for every dollar spent at the bar.

Points can be accumulated and used for a variety of prizes - ranging from the absurd (beer collected from the bar's drain) to the luxurious (a round-trip flight to California). Pacific Standard co-owner John Rauschenberg doesn't expect customers to save up for the 7,000 points it takes to go to California, but he isn't holding his breath.

As for bar patrons, the novelty of the program has not been lost on them - some have even said that they'll use the Pacific Standard's "frequent drinker" rewards card more than their other cards for the grocery store. Owners Rauschenberg and Jon Stan plan on implementing the program in the next month and hope that the novelty and possibility of reward will draw more customers to the Standard in the future .

Read more about the Standard's frequent drinker rewards card at AllHeadlineNews.com

Going to court in the Philippines? Don't forget your ID badge.

A court employee in Cebu City, Philippines was reprimanded and gave a public apology recently. His crime? Not truancy, nor slacking off on the job, or supply theft - but forgetting to wear his ID badge. All workers in the Philippines are required to have a publicly displayed ID badge at all times, identifying who they are, who they work for, and why they are where they are at the time.

Jerry Alarde, a utility worker in the court system, was charged with not wearing his ID and causing a fracas when a security guard questioned where his badge was. Alarde, who was tasked with picking up and delivering large quantities of office supplies, says that he did not notice his badge was not on his shirt until he arrived at the courthouse. After a confrontation with the security guard; the guard's supervisor reported the incident to Judge de Gracia of the Regional Trial Court, who ordered the public apology.

Alarde has promised that he will wear his employee ID badge faithfully from now on.

Read more at the Cebu Daily News

India implements nationwide healthcare smart card program

India's ESI (Employee State Insurance) Corporation has announced that it will soon be issuing smart cards to provide employees with health and medical benefits, among others, to employees who fall under the care of ESI. Currently, the ESI oversees the care of about 9 million employees and 30 million beneficiaries all across India.

Providing healthcare smart cards to these employees and their families would help streamline the healthcare process. Data about an individual's healthcare history and special needs would be universally accessible from the smart card. Currently, ESI Corporation covers employees and their families in 21 of India's 28 states and legislative regions, and the smart card program promises to blanket India with a new, more efficient kind of health care technology.

Read more at the Hindustan Times...

British Airways installs electronic access control system from SALTO

British Airways has selected SALTO Systems to install a smart proximity access control system in its new, state-of-the-art passenger terminal at London’s Heathrow Airport. The system restricts access privileges to authorized personnel only, while also providing continuous audit trail information. It works with the staff ID cards for British Airways employees, giving the airline full control over their security requirements.

The components of the access control system include intelligent wall readers along with over 200 SALTO XS4 Comfort, Security, and Glass Door lock sets. It controls access to British Airlines’ staff doors, lounges, and the first-class lounges in Heathrow’s Terminal 5.

Manufacturers offering affordable ID card printers with high-end functionality

With more and more organizations of varying sizes now printing their own, in-house ID cards and badges, the market for ID card printers is growing. Because of this, it makes sense for companies to offer affordable models equipped with similar functionality to some of the more advanced, high-end card printers.

Manufacturers such as Fargo, Zebra, Magicard, Evolis, and Datacard have all released high-value ID card printers that deliver clear and vibrant images on cards, while offering options for sophisticated functionality. It's now possible to produce multifunctional ID cards without breaking the bank. Features such as magnetic stripe encoding, RFID technology, and even smart card encoding are now available with select value printers.

Of course, there are a number of factors go into choosing the right printer, and for many high-security applications, top-shelf printers are certainly the best choice, but for small to mid-tier environments, this new wave of flexible and affordable ID card printers provides options that are very much welcome.

View Alpha Card's wide selection of ID card printer's to learn more…

Parent ID badges help keep crowds calm at popular concert series

You've probably heard something about Hannah Montana in the past year - the Emmy-nominated Disney channel show and singing sensation Miley Cyrus (Hannah Montana herself) were for a long time relegated to children, who gobbled up the snappy pop tunes and watched the show religiously. However, when the time came for Hannah Montana's first national tour, everyone else began to realize what a phenomenon the show had become.

Tickets to Hannah Montana concerts around the country sold out in a record time, with many of the tickets going to scalpers, who began to sell tickets at extreme markups at online venues like eBay - some tickets with an original value as low as $25 going for thousands more - up to $15,000. It's an underestimate to say that Hannah Montana is hot, and in demand.

With prices climbing into the hundreds and thousands of dollars, Hannah Montana concerts are, for some, not a parent-and-child activity. In many cases, instead of sitting with their child through the duration of the concert, parents drop them off at the venue and wait for the concert to be over to retrieve their child.

Some venues, like the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, OH, have set up a special "Parent's Club" to keep mom and dad entertained and close to their children while Hannah Montana is rocking out.

Parents who are not accompanying their children to the concert are directed, after check-in, to a special area, where they are given an ID badge that is connected to their child's name. After the show is over, the ID badge helps parent and child quickly - no more endless games of phone tag and wandering around to find a child.

Read more at the Cleveland Chronicle-Telegram...

RFID technology key to security for Beijing Olympics

Beijing, where contactless ID card technology is already a booming business, will use RFID as an integral part of its security efforts for the 2008 Olympic Games. Recent reports indicate that China is now the world's largest RFID market. Uses of the technology include access control, contactless ticketing, and tagging of equipment and hardware. So it's no surprise that RFID will play an important roll when the Olympics roll into town.

To begin with, Beijing plans on producing around seven million contactless tickets for the 17-day event which is expected to draw some 800,000 visitors. One of the advantages of issuing contactless tickets is that they're harder to reproduce. With the chance of counterfeit tickets less likely, there's no need to manually check each ticket. This will help to speed up lines. The technology will also enable security to track ticket holders, as signals are transmitted from electronic ticketing systems to central monitoring centers.

Along with contactless ticketing, RFID technology will play an important role in facility access control, and, get this, food preparation. Yes, RFID will be used to monitor and track all food products being delivered to the Olympic village. Not only will this help to protect attendees from substandard eats, it will also lessen the chances of an Olympic athlete's dreams being crushed by an untimely bout of food poisoning.

Federal ID card and security program for Seattle/Tacoma dockworkers underway

After five years of delays, dockworkers in Tacoma and Seattle will be among the first to participate in the Transportation Workers Identity Credential (TWIC) program, a federal ID card system meant to help secure America’s ports from terrorist attacks. The Transportation Security Administration oversees the program, which issues cards to any dock or transit worker with unsupervised access to secure port areas. To be employed, workers at these ports must give their fingerprints and submit to criminal background checks and terrorist watch list screening in addition to the security screening procedures already in place. Homeland Security legislation mandated that cards should be issued to dockworkers at every port in the country, but so far, only two ports in the country use TWIC cards. The TSA hopes to issue the cards in 39 additional ports, including Tacoma in Seattle, by the end of 2007 and in 147 ports by next autumn.

The government’s spared no expense with this program, and the cards they’ve created are quite advanced. These TWIC identification cards contain a swipe-able magnetic strip, tamper-resistant holograms and a smart card, which is why the cards cost $132.50 apiece. Unfortunately, that cost will be shouldered not by the government, but by individual workers for cards with a five-year lifespan.

Read more about the federal port ID cards in the Seattle Times.

Volunteer ID cards ease worries over youth sports practices

"Soccer Mom" has a new meaning in South Florida (along with many other places). Instead of ferrying children back and forth to practice and cheering on the sidelines at games, many sports parents have taken an active role on their child's sports teams - volunteering, chauferring teams around, organizing parent activities, and helping coach. And now, along with the requisite station wagon, van or SUV keys and water bottles, team parents are now sporting ID badges when at practices and games.

Many cities in South Florida have instituted an ID badge program for sports parents to appease increasing worries about kidnapping and increase security at the games that dot fields and parks all over South Florida every weekend. Under the new programs, any adult that comes into contact with the children during sports activities - practices, games, tournaments, team events - must wear an ID badge that certifies that the adult has cleared a criminal background check.

Reactions to the program have been positive thus far, and may increase the participation rates for parents and other adults. The presence of a badge on a lanyard reinforces that the adult is a safe figure and an authority for the team - making it easy to identify just who is allowed to be at the practice or game and who is not. The constant presence of badges has also helped to increase communication and cooperation between adults, coaches, and children, helping kids remember adult names and fostering valuable relationships that can help secure team players and facilitate growth.

As the programs become more popular, more and more cities across South Florida and the rest of the United States are expected to join in on this program. Since its inception in 2005, more than 600 adults have joined in on the ID badge program.

Read more at the South Florida Sun-Sentinal

China's east coast turns to smart cards for electronic taxi fare payment

16 major cities in China's southeast coast have made plans to implement smart card fare payment systems by 2010. Convenient transportation is a key factor in the development of this increasingly prosperous economic region. So far, more than 3,300 cabs have been equipped with electronic card readers. Readers are standardized so the same smart card can be used to pay fares for different cab services in different cities.

In Hangzhou, the cab administration has ordered all 7,500 of its cabs to include the electronic card readers, which will be compatible with the readers already mounted in Shanghai cabs, as well as those in Nanjing.

Residents throughout the 16 cities included in the smart card plan frequently travel across the region either for business or weekend getaways. With the new fare payment program, they'll be able to use a single smart card for any cab service. Along with the cab fare program, China's east coast has also used smart cards in electronic payment systems for express railways and fast-pass highway facilities.

New ID card system at Walter Reed Army Medical Center aims to keep criminal offenders out

The Walter Reed Army Medical Center is implementing Mobilisa's Defense ID system in order to to secure the enormous facility, which has a potential patient population of 8 million people. The center will not be issuing their own cards; instead the Defense ID scanner reads data from any government ID card-- including Canadian driver's licenses-- and crosschecks each individual against more than 100 databases of criminal offenders and other parties who have been banned from military properties.

For the Defense ID system, Walter Reed paid Mobilisa $388,554, which includes equipment, training and support. But unlike other systems that require a person to wait several weeks before receiving a badge, the Defense ID system is instant and doesn't require printing an additional ID card. So far, Defense ID has been credited with preventing almost 25,000 people from gaining entry to more than 50 different military and federal facilities.

Tactical police officers in Trinidad must prove their legitimacy with ID badges

In Trinidad, tactical police offers must now wear identification badges with their photographs on display at all times. Criminals in black have been impersonating members of tactical forces, who usually participate in the execution of search warrants and raids, in order to commit crimes against unwitting civilians. From now on, legitimate tactical unit officers will travel with uniformed police, in marked vehicles. Acting Deputy Commissioner of Crime Operations Gilbert Reyes cautioned the public against cooperating with people dressed in black who do not have proper identification on display.

Read about the Trinidad police force's new policy here.

Saudi ID Cards to be provided by Entrust

Saudi Arabia is the newest country to roll out a national ID program - and has chosen Entrust, Inc. to provide the infrastructure and technologies needed to get the new program going. The new ID cards will be issued to all Saudi nationals, and will feature state-of-the art encryption and security measures to keep sensitive personal data safe.

The Entrust sytem, which is Saudia Arabia's first foray into the electronic world, features top-to-bottom encryption, with encrypted communications and data storage, and a safe system that will be evenutally transitioned and built up to be used for other electronic systems and web services.

Read more at SecurityPark.co.uk...

Virginia schools screen visitors with Raptor ID check-in

Jacksonville, FL city hall upgrades to stricter ID card security

If you've ever been to a government building, you know the drill. A security guard inspects your ID card, your belongings take a spin through the x-ray machine, and you stroll through the metal detector, hoping that that filling won't act up again. However, worries about fake IDs, forgery and attacks have caused concerns among some.

City officials in Jacksonville, FL, have upgraded the security system at all city buildings, hoping to reduce perceived threats. Along with restricted entrances, Jacksonville will soon implement a stricter ID card policy. As always, city employees with a valid ID will be able to bypass security checkpoints. In the future, though, visitors to city buildings and government offices will show their ID to a special turnstile instead of a security guard. Equipped with a card reader and verification device, the turnstile will only operate and let visitors through when their ID is validated.

This new layer of security will help officials better discern just who is allowed into city buildings, and the automated verification process will speed up visitor intake and conclusively settle any debates over ID authenticity.

Read more at JaxDailyRecord.com

Florida considers instituting boater ID card

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is reviewing a proposal that would require all boaters to pass a safety class before operating a vessel. Upon passing the class, each boater would obtain an ID card that proves they're fit for the sea. The aim of the ID card is to cut down on the number of fatalities caused by dangerous boating. Reports show that similar boater ID card programs have reduced the number of boating fatalities by 25 percent in Oregon and Connecticut.

As it stands now, only boaters under the age of 21 must pass a safety course in Florida. The proposed plan would increase that minimum age by 5 years incrementally over the next 11 years. In other words, by 2020, the ID card will be required for all boaters under the age of 76.

With boating fatalities on the rise in Florida, most registered boaters seem to support the idea of an ID card program. In 2005, a record 81 fatalities were recorded. The hope is that those numbers will drop significantly, and the waters will be safer once the boater ID program sets sail.

RFID badges in Delaware hospital help make bed assignment and tracking easy

Managing beds in an emergency room is no small task - with patients constantly streaming in and out of rooms, being tested, released from care, or wheeled into surgery, it takes supreme organization skills and constant movement to keep up with the newest information. Even with the most impeccably organized system, though, there are fallbacks. Rooms and beds aren't cleaned in time, there are bed mix-ups, and ultimately, lags in actual care.

To help combat this problem, Christiana Care Health System in Wilmington, DE, has released an integrated health care system that uses RFID tags and strategically placed to help with patient management, workflow, and cleaning. When a patient is checked in, they are assigned an ID badge that has an RFID chip with a unique identifying number that is tagged to the patient's information in the hospital's database.

As the patient moves throughout the emergency room, RFID readers (spaced about 60 to 90 feet apart) receive signals from unique patient cards - tracking their movements throughout the hospital and throughout treatment.

The RFID badges at Christiana are also integrated with the hospital's bed management software system - as patients move in and out of beds, the software and RFID cards cooperate to reveal which rooms are ready for cleaning and which are still occupied. This addition helps maintenance staff keep rooms readily available for the new patients that are always arriving.

Staff members like nurses and doctors are also using RFID badges in this situation - and are instantaneously assigned rotations and checkups on patients based on their location in the emergency room. Such an accurate degree of tracking and assignment is in place to ensure efficiency and maximizing the quality of care.

Officials say the main goal in installing the RFID system was to get the patient to the right place the first time- reducing inaccuracies and increasing the overall quality of care - and the system has indeed reduced administrative time for care staff and increased accuracy to a point where more time can be dedicated to the sick individual.

Read more at the RFID Journal...

Texas goes statewide with Medicaid smart card project

After an extensive pilot program, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is moving forward with plans to take its Medicaid smart card system statewide. The system provides cardholders with a convenient and secure method for verifying their Medicaid coverage.

One of the biggest advantages of the smart card system is that it automates the patient check-in process. Currently, staff members manually copy patient information from paper forms. This information can easily be lost or entered improperly, plus it's a time consuming process. The smart card will speed up the check-in process significantly, and will effectively eliminate human error from the data entry process.

Another advantage of the system is its potential to cut the overall costs of the Medicaid program. As it stands, 2 million Texans are mailed paper Medicaid cards each month, resulting in an estimated $750,000 in monthly postage. With the new system, each qualified individual will carry a single smart card that can simply be updated with new information as needed. It's a simpler, more secure, and in the long run, more cost-effective method for handling Medicaid verification.

The card itself is the size of a credit card. Each card is encoded with identity information required by health-care providers and doctors. When the cardholder arrives at the hospital or healthcare facility, he or she inserts the card into a reader, while also placing a finger in a biometric fingertip reader. The system then verifies the identity and the Medicaid coverage of the individual.

MBTA expands CharlieCard fare-collection system

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is looking to expand its smart-card fare-collection system to include use on commuter trains, ferries, and in parking facilities. The ultimate goal is to make the system, known as CharlieCard, a "passport" to the entire MBTA coverage area.

MBTA travelers would be able to pay for parking, hop a rail train, and ride the subway or bus, all with a single smart card. The CharlieCard program, which was launched a year ago, is currently used by 83 percent of all bus riders and 88 percent of all MBTA subway riders. To date, over 2.5 million smart cards have been distributed.

The expanded CharlieCard services will first be tested on a single commuter line, with a full rollout to follow.

Iowa high school says mandatory student ID cards are a "cultural change"

The primary purpose of most student ID cards is to protect - ID badges help quickly identify students and staff in case of emergency, and they are an easy way to single out who should and should not be in the school at any given moment. Student ID cards can also serve as library cards and cafeteria "money cards" that can be used to pay for hot lunches. Schools most often implement ID card policies to make security and attendance easier. But in Sioux City, Iowa, West High School sees the addition of ID cards to student life as a change in the student culture.

All West High School students are required to have a prominently displayed ID badge at all times - and not just on their person - it should be visible from the front, and students will be stopped otherwise. The ID cards came along after several violent fights in the prior school year, and after a nearby high school barely escaped a school shooting.

While there has been a some resistance to the new program, students and staff generally approve of the ID card changes. Besides security, the cards encourage student responsibility and make it easier for teachers to match names to faces, a difficult quest in a large public school. They've also helped decrease violence - in the prior school year, fights were inevitable, one student said. Now, there have been just a couple, and the rare fight is broken up by students before it escalates.

It truly has been a culture change at West High school in Sioux City - and an example of a student ID card program that works.

Read more at the Sioux City Journal...

Nexus Card gains wider acceptance at border crossings

The Nexus Card -- a proximity card used by frequent travelers to expedite the process of crossing the border between the U.S. and Canada -- is gaining more and more acceptance at border crossings. The program, which has been operational for a number of years, recently expanded its reach to include the Woodstock, Emerson, and Sault Ste. Marie crossings.

The Nexus Card program speeds up the border clearance process for low-risk, pre-approved travelers into the U.S. and Canada. To obtain a card, applicants must first complete a registration process and satisfy all of the eligibility criteria. They must also pass risk assessments by both countries. Once approved, the applicant receives their membership identification card and can use it at participating border crossings. These crossings include dedicated Nexus lanes featuring self-serve kiosks that read the proximity card when it's waved in front of a reader.

Policy is just as important as printing when it comes to employee ID cards

Employee ID cards have become a fact of life for many workers - a permanent addition to work clothes or a uniform, ID badges help identify employees to customers, clients, and in larger offices, fellow employees. Multi-purpose ID cards with magnetic stripes or smart card functionality can also be used for access control, building security, parking, time and attendance, even meals in company cafeterias. ID badges are one of the cheapest and most effective forms of security for any business or organization - but widespread implementation has been a bit more difficult, due to the necessary development of a good ID card policy.

Take the Great Neck School District on Long Island in New York State. Administrators and public safety officials agree that ID cards are an essential tool for school security, and should be worn by teachers, staff and students alike. This is a sentiment shared by educators around the world, but district administrators and members of the Board of Education are concerned that ID cards not accompanied by a solid ID card policy will be ineffective at best. Board of Education President Paula Berkowitz agrees that ID cards could be a valuable addition to schools - helping teachers in ever-growing schools recognize and get to know each other, help with attendance, and help identify students in emergencies. But, she says, developing a district-wide policy that fits every school and student is more difficult than it seems. Building design, staff size, budget, and security needs all should be considered and weighed, and developing a comprehensive and effective policy for ID card production and use is the best way to ensure that ID cards work when they're most needed - in an emergency.

Read more about the Great Neck School Board at AntonNews.com

Municipal ID card legislation passes in San Francisco

San Francisco's Board of Supervisors recently enacted a piece of legislation that would provide ID cards to all residents of the city - a program designed to make San Francisco residents that are in the "social margins" (namely the homeless and immigrant populations) receive city services and help them gain bank accounts.

The legislation was developed in response to an ever-increasing robbery rate in San Francisco, a rate which officials say puts populations like immigrants and the homeless at risk because they are, for the most part, do not have access to basic services like banks - and can be hit hard if robbed. Under the new law, businesses in San Francisco that hold city contracts would be required to accept the new ID card as legitimate identification, businesses like banks and credit unions that could help marginalized citizens gain services and help prevent potentially devastating robberies.

This new legistlation promises to help many San Francisco citizens protect their assets, but has some pitfalls that could wreak havoc with San Francisco banks and public institutions. It's not clear what the policy for getting one of these municipal ID cards would be, and how the city would ensure that identity thieves or criminals could not make multiple cards or false identities. One way to skirt this problem would be to use biometric information on the ID cards - like fingerprints. Adding a fingerprint and a photo onto an ID card, and storing fingerprints in a database, could help prevent multiple issuances of these cards and keep the threats of identity theft and fraud at bay.

San Francisco is the second city in the United States to adopt an optional municipal ID card program; New Haven, CT also offers a similar program, but San Francisco's program is certainly the largest and will be a precedent for cities that develop municipal ID card programs in the future.

Registered Traveler ID cards coming to D.C. airports

Washington D.C. area airports may become the newest users of a unique travel ID card program. The Registered Traveler program, the brainchild of the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA), makes security checks at airports less of a hassle for frequent travelers. Registered travelers pay a small fee and then undergo a thorough background check before being issued an ID card which allows them to bypass the snaking lines of passengers that have become common at airport security checks.

This consolidated ID card program is a powerful addition to any business traveler, alleviating stress about lines and flight times. D.C.-area airports, constantly clogged with business travelers, tourists, and international envoys, are sure to benefit from this program, at least in terms of wait time. The program is expected to go into effect in June 2008.

Verified Identity Pass, one of the biggest companies behind the Registered Traveler Program, is hoping that traveler ID cards will one day extend beyond airports and be used in multiple locations such as private offices, government buildings, sports stadiums, even theaters - anything to reduce security bottlenecks and keep patrons and citizens safe.

Middle school's student IDs double as public library cards

John F. Kennedy Middle School in Enfield, Mass. has launched a unique student ID program that allows students to use their cards not only for a variety of functions at school, but also at the Enfield Public Library. Perhaps the most exciting benefit of the new system is that students can gain entry over the Internet to the library's 11 research databases by entering the bar code number found on their IDs. And students can access all of these resources from their home computers.

The cards can also be used in person at the library to check out books, and for Internet and computer use. At the public library, parents can determine the level of Internet filtering for their kids. Five levels of filtering are available. The new student IDs, of course, are also used in the school library as well.

Aside from library use and photo identification, the middle school's ID cards have also been integrated into a payment system that enables students to purchase items ranging from school lunches to dance tickets.

El Paso ID Forgery Controversy Points to Larger ID Card Policy Issues

El Paso, TX City Rep Rachel Quintana is in trouble - she's currently under investigation for forgery, using an old ID card from her previous employment at FedEx to purchase a discounted ticket on Southwest Airlines. Several El Paso city officials believe that Quintana's integrity has been severely challenged due to this incident - while some see it as a political stunt. Either way, Quintana used an ID card belonging to FedEx to purchase a ticket from Texas to California nearly one month after she left the company.

FedEx employees receive a special discounted rate from Southwest, a practice that is common among many airlines. When purchasing tickets at this special rate, employees must present two pieces of identification verifying their employment - ID cards that are supposed to be given back to FedEx when leaving the company. Quintana surrendered that badge, but kept an access control card issued by the airport used by employees to enter and exit for normal working purposes. Quintana presented this and a letter on FedEx letterhead stating that she was a current employee. Suspicious of her actions, the Southwest ticket agent called FedEx to double check the validity of the letter and made Quintana pay the difference between the ticket prices before her return flight. Quintana has been under investigation since, and although some El Paso politicians believe this is a politically motivated scandal, Quintana's actions bring up important issues about corporate ID cards.

An ID card is only as good as the policy that stands behind it. We've reported before about unscrupulous employees keeping their ID cards after leaving their jobs and this is no exception - ID cards, especially those enabled with access control, can lead to internalized theft, fraud, or in Quintana's case, attempted forgery. Wider knowledge of FedEx policy and better training, cornerstones of any good ID card program, could have kept Quintana's airport badge from slipping through the cracks.

Read more at NewspaperTree.com....

Mount Sinai Medical Center puts "personal health card" to the test

New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center is one of the largest hospitals in the U.S. With a ridiculous amount of patients coming and going, it’s no wonder they’ve had their fair share of problems keeping medical records accurate and organized. Many of the more common errors can be attributed to the patient registration process which, like most hospitals, typically involves a steady stream of paperwork. So what’s the best bay to eliminate this problem once and for all? For Mount Sinai, the answer may lie in smart cards.

The hospital is currently testing out a smart card pilot program in which participating patients receive an encrypted “personal health card” that contains the patient’s name, photo, and insurance info, as well as a medical history snapshot. The snapshot can include everything from notes on medications and recent treatments to EKG test results and more. The cards give hospital staffers quick access to a patient’s medical records and greatly increase the speed and accuracy of the registration process. This helps to reduce the risk of fraud, improve the quality of patient care, and to increase revenue by cutting down on claims denials resulting from inaccurate information.

Read more about Mount Sinai’s smart card program in Network World...

New Welsh ID program aims to help those with autism

Autism, a developmental disorder that affects a certain spectrum of brain operation, is a widespread condition that affects many people around the world. Cases of autism vary widely from person to person, and interaction with an Autistic person can sometimes be rough. The Welsh town of Gwent has an autistic population of over 2,000; people who work and have families like everyone else. In order to improve communication and reduce risk for conflict, Gwent has introduced an ID card program for Autistic people that encourages communication during times of emergency (such as hospital stays) and alerts caretakers, law enforcement officers, and first responders to any issues they must be aware of when dealing with an autistic person.

In Gwent's groundbreaking volunteer program, Autistic registrants would have an entry in a special database noting their condition and any peculiarities which might be essential to treatment or easy communication. An ID card called the ASD Attention card (Autistic Spectrum Disorder) is then issued and may be presented by the child or person with Autism to enhance interaction and communication in stressful times. The ASD Attention cards have been received warmly, and now over 100 cards have been issued. The organizer of the card, a Gwent police officer who got the idea from his 8 year old son (who has Aspberger's, which falls under the umbrella of Autism) has said that it will benefit everyone in Gwent, and law enforcement and Autism specialists alike have encouraged the development of the ASD Attention Card.

Read more at News Wales

India turns to RFID cards to verify doctor identities

With over 1 billion citizens, India is the second most populous country in the world, second to china. Over 1 bilion people live and work in this giant democracy every day, and with such a large population comes a proportionally large government and education infrastructure. Officials have recently implemented a plan to ensure that Indian medical post-graduates from indistinguishable government departments do not mistakenly get teaching jobs, and they're going to use RFID cards to help make the plan come to life.

These cards, which will become part of the post-graduation application process for students, will contain a photo, signature, demographic information and most importantly, the degrees that he or she has acquired. This, according to a committee who designed and is implementing the plan, will help avoid unqualified postgraduates from getting cushy jobs, sewing yet another loophole of bureaucracy shut. Evidently, many hospitals and other potential employers failed to check the facts presented to them by potential candidates - something that happens worldwide. With doctors, however, comes special risk. An unqualified M.D. can administer the wrong drug, misdiagnose, or ruin lives. This plan, according to the Indian Government, will help keep the careers of hopeful doctors in check and help more students get the education they deserve.

Read more at GreaterKashmir.com...

First Responders to receive smart, trackable ID cards

What's one of the most important things in disaster recovery? The natural response is to say to help - as much as possible and wherever needed. However, first responders - groups like fire fighters, police officers, medical personnel and the national guard, have recently struggled with responder tracking during major disasters like Hurricane Katrina and 9/11. Government officials struggle to locate, organize and effectively battle the crisis to which they are responding. First responders, who may quickly move from place to place and agency to agency in order to maximize efficiency and help, need to work and communicate quickly and focus as much as possible on the task at hand instead of the infrastructure of support.

That's why several companies have contributed to a new US government program - providing smart, interoperable ID cards for first responders at a drastically reduced price. By having these cards, first responders will be able to track their work efficiently with the least amount of effort . Simply by scanning their ID card on a reader at an emergency - a hands free move that takes an instant - crisis workers can maximize their efficiency and help to quell national emergencies much more efficiently.

Read more at GovtSecurity.com...

School district nabs computer thief with access control card

Back in May, several Houston area elementary schools, including Allen Elementary, noticed that expensive computer equipment - several servers at $3,000 each, had gone missing. There wasn't a sign of forced entry or any other clues normally associated with a burglary. Investigators dug deeper, and found something unusual.

Former contractor Clifford Weaver, who had ended his contract in February, had been using his HISD ID card to enter the schools, passing himself off as a serviceman. Using the ID card and a bit of trickery, Weaver accessed the seven schools where, coincidentally, the servers went missing. Weaver was charged with the server theft and appeared in court yesterday.

This case brings up an interesting point about ID card policy - could this kind of theft been prevented with an effective ID retention/exit interview process? HISD, and other school districts and employers, could reduce their risk of ex-employee theft in the future by retaining ID cards and access materials at the the termination of employment. The only way Weaver was able to get into the schools and steal the servers was to use his ID card. Taking this ID card away at the end of Weaver's employment could have reduced HISD's risk substantially.

HISD contractor accused of computer thefts

Former HISD employee in court for stealing computers

Florida Golf Club Requires ID Card to Play

Havana Country Club in Havana, Florida, has announced that golfers who wish to play on Havana's noted Executive courses will need to carry their ID for the Villages. The Villages, an exclusive retirement community located in north central Florida, has had problems with non-residents using the courses without permission.

Officials with the Villages stated that the golf courses are for the exclusive use of The Villages residents and guests, who pay for the services through neighborhood fees, and should have exclusive access to the golf courses that they support. Showing their ID cards, a resident golf pro says, helps protect the choice greens for the users who fund them.

Information about The Villages ID cards was not available - but the cards are presumably simple photo ID cards with a picture of the resident and their address. If counterfeit and card tampering becomes a problem, the Villages could create cards with embedded security measures like magnetic stripes or smart cards to help curb a continuing trespassing problem. Embedded security measures could also transform the ID card from a simple security measure to a multifunctional card that can be used not only on the golf course, but in the pro shop, locker room, country club restaurant, and commercial sites within The Villages.

Read More at the Villages Daily Sun