What is the Indiana Data and Communications System?
The Indiana Data and Communications System (IDACS) is a computerized law enforcement/criminal justice communications and information storage and retrieval system. This system is designed to serve as a tool in providing more effective and efficient law enforcement for both the citizens of this State and, through interfacing with the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computer, and the the International Justice and Public Safety Network (Nlets) computer, the Nation as a whole.
What is the National Crime Information Center?
The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) 2000 is the System replacing the NCIC System. NCIC 2000 has the same mission and the same basic functionality as NCIC, but also features new capabilities which are described in this operating manual. Just as NCIC, NCIC 2000 is a nationwide, computerized information system established as a service to all criminal justice agencies--local, state, and federal. The goal of NCIC 2000 is to help the criminal justice community perform its duties by providing and maintaining a computerized filing system of accurate and timely documented criminal justice information. For NCIC 2000 purposes, criminal justice information is defined as “information collected by criminal justice agencies that is needed for the performance of their legally authorized, required function. This includes wanted person information; missing person information; unidentified person information; stolen property information; criminal history information; information compiled in the course of investigation of crimes that are known or believed on reasonable grounds to have occurred, including information on identifiable individuals; and information on identifiable individuals compiled in an effort to anticipate, prevent, or monitor possible criminal activity.” The NCIC 2000 data bank can best be described as a computerized index of documented criminal justice information concerning crimes and criminals of nationwide interest and a locator file for missing and unidentified persons.
What is the the International Justice and Public Safety Network (Nlets)?
The International Justice and Public Safety Network (Nlets) is made up of representatives of law enforcement agencies from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, many Federal law enforcement agencies and the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). There is also a connection to the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) files. Nlets is incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware and is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to provide interstate communications to law enforcement, criminal justice and other agencies involved in enforcement of laws.
How can I determine if my Department or Agency qualifies to join the system?
Access is governed in part by 240 Indiana Administrative Code 5-2-10 Security; Confidentiality, and Federal Title 28, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 534. An agency and their employees will be permitted access to the system if it meets the criteria which follow:
1. The agency is a governmental agency and meets the definition of a criminal justice agency as contained in the Department of Justice Regulations on Criminal Justice Information Systems (Title 28, Code of Federal Regulations [CFR], Part 20, Subpart A). These regulations in Section 20.3 define a criminal justice agency as “(c) . . . (1) courts; (2) a governmental agency or any subunit thereof which performs the administration of criminal justice pursuant to a statute or executive order, and which allocates a substantial part of its annual budget to the administration of criminal justice (‘allocates a substantial part’ has been interpreted to mean more than 50 percent by the originator of the Regulations). State and Federal Inspector General offices are included. (d) The ‘administration of criminal justice’ means performance of any of the following activities: detection, apprehension, detention, pretrial release, post-trial release, prosecution, adjudication, correctional supervision, or rehabilitation of accused persons or criminal offenders. The administration of criminal justice shall include criminal identification activities and the collection, storage, and dissemination of criminal history record information.”
Any court that hears civil cases only (with the exception of domestic violence and stalking cases) does not qualify for an NCIC 2000 ORI assignment, e.g., some probate courts. Any correctional facility that houses only juveniles who are not involved in the criminal justice process but who are orphaned or declared incorrigible does not qualify for an NCIC 2000 ORI assignment.
Effective October 1999, 28 CFR, Part 20, was amended to authorize delegation by criminal justice agencies to noncriminal justice agencies of dispatching and data processing/information services pursuant to statute, regulation, executive order, or interagency agreement. The management control agreements previously required will be considered one type of interagency; hence, the mandatory and exclusive language in this publication dealing with management control agreements is not entirely correct in light of this amendment, and a Technical Operational Update will be issued to clarify any uncertainty.
2. A governmental agency not meeting the qualifications set out in (1) must meet the definition of an agency under management control of a criminal justice agency as defined in the Computerized Criminal History Program Background, Concept and Policy as approved by the NCIC Advisory Policy Board, March 1, 1984, (Policy Paper). The definition contained therein is as follows: “. . . the authority to set and enforce (1) priorities; (2) standards for the selection, supervision, and termination of personnel; and (3) policy governing the operation of computers, circuits, and telecommunications terminals used to process criminal history record information insofar as the equipment is used to process, store, or transmit criminal history record information. Management control includes, but is not limited to, the supervision of equipment, system design, programming, and operating procedures necessary for the development and implementation of the computerized criminal history program. Such management control guarantees the priority service needed by the criminal justice community. A criminal justice agency must have a written agreement with the noncriminal justice agency operating the data center assuring that the criminal justice agency has management control as defined above.”
Noncriminal justice governmental agencies are sometimes tasked to perform dispatching functions or data processing/information services for criminal justice agencies. The performance of such tasks does not convert an otherwise noncriminal justice agency into a criminal justice agency as described in (1) above. Title 28 CFR, Part 20, authorizes the delegation of such tasks to noncriminal justice agencies if done pursuant to executive order, statute, regulations, or interagency agreement. Criminal history record information contained in the III System and FIRS (Fingerprint Identification Records System) may be made available to noncriminal justice governmental agencies performing criminal justice dispatching functions or data processing/ information services for criminal justice agencies; and to private contractors pursuant to a specific agreement with a criminal justice agency or noncriminal justice governmental agency, as previously described, for the administration of criminal justice pursuant to that agreement. Additionally, the agreement must incorporate a security addendum that specifically authorizes access to criminal history record information, limits the use of the information to the purposes for which it is provided, ensures the security and confidentiality of the information consistent with 28 CFR, Part 20, provides for sanctions, and contains other provisions as the Attorney General may require. Agencies meeting the above criteria are assigned an ORI number with the numeric character 9 in position eight of the ORI. The ninth position is an alphabetic character representing the type of agency.
3. A governmental regional dispatch center may qualify for an ORI assignment related to the NCIC 2000 files and III. A center is a cooperative effort entered into by political subdivisions in a particular area for the purpose of providing consolidated and computer-assisted dispatch for public safety, that is, police, fire, and rescue services. In many cases, the law enforcement departments involved are abolishing their communications sections and turning the communications functions over to a consolidated regional system. In management control situations, the state Control Terminal Agency (CTA) must submit a copy of the management control agreement to FBI CJIS. Agencies meeting the above criteria are assigned an ORI number ending with the alphabetic character N.
4. A nongovernmental railroad or campus police department is one which performs the administration of criminal justice and has arrest powers pursuant to a state statute which allocates a substantial part of its annual budget to the administration of justice as defined by the Department of Justice Regulations on Criminal Justice Information Systems (28 CFR, Part 20, Subpart A) and which meets training requirements established by law or ordinance for law enforcement officers. These agencies are assigned an ORI ending with the alphabetic character E.
5. Public Law 99-169 (as amended) the Security Clearance Information Act (SCIA), authorizes the Department of Defense (DOD), the National Security Agency (NSA), the Defense Security Service (DSS), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Department of State (DOS), and the FBI to receive criminal history record information on individuals investigated by them for access to classified information or assignment to or retention in sensitive national security duties. For national security purposes, these agencies have access to all files; however, any inquiry resulting in a positive response must be immediately turned over to a proper law enforcement agency(s) before proceeding with the SCIA investigation. Other NCIC 2000 access, e.g., record entry/cancellation, is prohibited. These agencies are assigned a special ORI ending with the alphabetic character R to clearly identify the SCIA agencies.
What are the IDACS Requirements for Dispatch Consolidation?
Consolidation of Dispatch Centers and Dispatch Centers that are going under an authority other than law enforcement are ever more increasing. In order to make the consolidation and transition more smooth listed below are some of the requirements needed for IDACS:
- A letter is required to be sent to IDACS advising of the consolidation or transition and any agencies involved.
- A copy of the Memorandum of Agreement is required for the consolidation to take place between the agencies involved.
- An Information Systems Diagram of the proposed new agency or change to the existing agency must be provided (Visio is the preferred network design tool). The construction and configuration of the network must be in compliance with the CJIS Security Policy.
- If a CAD is going to be connected a letter of request will be required.
- If additional MDD devices, or additional CAD devices are to be added, a letter of request will be required. The Information Systems Diagram must be revised to reflect the addition of an MDD system or additional CAD devices. The name of the MDD system or CAD vendor must be identified in the request.
- MDD’s and CAD’s can only inquire into the Stolen, Wanted and the BMV files.
- Vendor information and name(s) and telephone number(s) for point of contact.
- New Terminal User Agreements must be signed and a copy of all Non-Terminal User Agreements for the agencies that are serviced must be signed and mailed to IDACS.
- If a Regional Dispatch Center (RDC) is planned , a board must be comprised with a majority of members representing criminal justice agencies IAW 240 IAC 5-2-10 and the NCIC 2000 Operating Manual Originating Agency Identifier (ORI) File.
- Dispatch Centers that will be under the authority of other than law enforcement must have a board comprised with a majority of members representing criminal justice agencies IAW 240 IAC 5-2-10 and the NCIC 2000 Operating Manual Originating Agency Identifier (ORI) File.
- A letter of request must be sent to IDACS to obtain a Regional Dispatch Center (RDC) ORI. The request must include any documents, IC Codes, local ordinances etc., establishing the consolidation of dispatch centers.
- Any existing agency name changes or consolidations will require submission of a new Terminal Agency Agreement.
To order network connectivity service, contact Mr. Charlie Sharp (Data /Voice Communications Manger), Indiana Office of Technology, Indiana Telecommunications Network. Telephone number (317) 233-3171. It is important the IDACS System Coordinator be advised of the progress of the consolidation so that proper planning on this end can occur. Contact the IDACS office at 317-232-8292 for questions concerning the consolidation process.
How Does My Agency Apply to Become a Mobile Data Terminal Agency?
Your agency must submit a letter on agency letterhead to the Chairperson of the IDACS Committee.
Robert Simpson, Captain, Indiana State Police, Criminal Justice Data Division Commander
IDACS Committee Chairman
Indiana State Police
Indiana Government Center North
100 North Senate Ave.
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-2259
The letter must state that your agency is requesting to become an IDACS MDD agency. Your Vendor’s information and a point of Contact must be included on the request. The request must be signed by your agency head.
Once a letter of approval to become a MDD agency is received from the IDACS Committee Chairperson, you will have one year from the date of the letter to actually start the process. Failure to do so will result in the expiration of the approval.
Information regarding the process will be included on the approval letter. For further information regarding the process contact the IDACS Section at 317-232-8292.
How Do I Obtain Lesson Plans for IDACS Class?
Due to CJIS Security Policy the IDACS Lesson Plans are no longer available on the IDACS Website.
The IDACS Lesson Plan is available via the Messenger application through the CJIS Launch Pad through nexTEST or via Messenger Forms, click on Links and select nexTEST Page.
How Do I Apply for Access to the System?
A letter from the Agency Head must be submitted to:
IDACS Committee Chairman
Indiana State Police
IGCN - 100 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2259
The letter must be accompanied by copies of the local, state, or federal statute that empowers the agency. This documentation will be reviewed by State Police Legal authority and then submitted to the F.B.I. for final approval.
My Agency already has been approved for access to the System. How do we go about connecting to the network and application?
A letter stating the request from the Agency Head must be submitted to:
IDACS Committee Chairman
Indiana State Police
IGCN - 100 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2259
The IDACS System Coordinator, or his/her representative, will contact the agency and provide policy and procedural information on joining the system.
How can I contact IDACS by phone?
The IDACS section phone number is:
(317) 232-8292