OTTAWA, June 23, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- BlueBear Network International, Inc. (Pink Sheets:BLBR) announced today has reached an OEM/Reseller Agreement with Smiths Heimann Biometrics giving it the tools needed to provide Identity Verified Background Checks to its customers.
With Smiths Heimann products, BlueBear will immediately offer high quality, cost effective, finger and palm scanning technology fully integrated with its Integrated Digital Law Enforcement (IDLE) application. In addition, BlueBear can start providing its police customers with a self-service kiosk for performing Civil Background Checks that can biometrically verify the identity of the individual requesting the check.
"This agreement is very important to BlueBear -- we can now provide customers with top quality, robust scanners and have in place all the pieces we need to deliver effective background checks," says Andrew Brewin, President and CEO of BlueBear. "Background checks help reassure everyone that the people working with our children, from coaches to care-givers, are not known offenders and are the people the say they are. BlueBear is proud to be able to apply high quality, state-of-the art technology like Smiths Heimann to this very important public safety measure."
Background checks involve searches of a variety of secure systems. Before the BlueBear solution, these checks relied upon the subject of the check to provide correct name, date of birth and, where permitted by law, other ID like Social Security numbers. Using BlueBear technology, integrated with the Smiths Heimann fingerprint and palm scanners, police can verify the identity of the individual prior to conducting searches.
These same searches often result in secondary searches that require full 10 finger cards being submitted to central agencies like the FBI or RCMP. Often, individuals need to go to a different location to get approved finger print forms resulting in long delays before the check is completed. The BlueBear solution, using Smiths Heimann scanners, means all information its gathered at one time, and in many cases, a clearance certificate can be issued on-the-spot.
In addition to providing self-serve background check kiosks, BlueBear will be packaging the scanners to the customers that form the BlueBear Network, providing electronic finger print capture to small and mid-size police forces that would otherwise not have the financial resources to acquire such technology. The Livescan devices will be used as part of IDLE to capture prints for automatic input into Automatic Fingerprint Identification Systems (AFIS) and for electronic submission to various central agencies.
Mr. Brewin points out that, "BlueBear continues to focus on effectively applying biometric and secure messaging technology to day-to-day policing. Enabling police forces to more effectively share information and rapidly identify individuals making our neighborhoods safer."
About BlueBear Network International, Inc.
BlueBear Network International, Inc. (Pink Sheets:BLBR) is a Nevada-registered company based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. BBNI develops and markets the world's first system that uses biometrics and text records to securely and simultaneously search and share biometric and records information among linked police and integrated justice databases. BBNI's system responds to worldwide police and government requirements for the timely and effective information search and sharing in homeland security and law enforcement. The company has established strong strategic relationships with several large manufacturers, software and consulting firms. For more information, visit http://www.bbninternational.com/ .
This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Securities Litigation Improvements Act of 1996. The words "believe, expect, estimate and project" and similar expressions define forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date the statement was made. BBNI undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are currently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated in, or underlie the forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties to which forward-looking statements are subject include, but are not limited to, the company's ability to meet its projected growth, the effects of government regulation, competition and other material risks.