In 2005, The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issued a Request For Proposal (RFP) to procure an exclusive contract with a vendor willing to provide statewide electronic fingerprinting. After a thorough review process, Safran MorphoTrust USA was awarded the contract for the Fingerprint Applicant Services of Texas (FAST) Program. Currently, there are approximately 80 locations for customers to utilize and in the near future another 20 locations will be added to the network.
Some of the benefits to using the FAST Program are: A 98% classifiable rate which means quality prints, less rejections, and quick responses. Appointments are available by scheduling on-line at www.l1enrollment.com or by calling 1-888-467-2080. The cost of the fingerprinting service is $9.95. If a Texas Record is needed, add $15.00. If an FBI Record is needed, add $16.50.
FAST services may be paid on-line with a credit card or onsite with a check or money order made payable to Safran MorphoTrust USA. Note: Cash is not accepted! Results will be available in 48 to 72 hours. Participation in the FACT Clearinghouse To get started or for further information, please contact the DPS Fingerprint Services Unit at (512) 424 2365, Option 6 or by email at fingerprint.service@dps.texas.gov.
The FACT Clearinghouse allows authorized entities access to DPS and FBI criminal history fingerprint results in a secure, easy to use, electronic format. Also included is an electronic subscription and notification service for new arrests or court dispositions called Rap Back on subscribed persons. You will receive an email notification listing your applicant s name and informing you of a Rap Back that needs to be viewed.
Currently this service will only provide new arrest activity that has been added to Texas criminal history record information. In late 2014, the FBI will offer Rap back that will provide similar updates to the national record. Fees for this service are being discussed at the national level and a decision should be available for dissemination in late spring of 2013.
In addition, a search feature was created for entities to use to find applicants previously fingerprinted for a similar purpose by another entity. Example: Applicant works for Austin PD and has applied to work at Dallas PD. Applicant informs Dallas PD they were previously fingerprinted at a FAST location to work at Austin PD. Since the purpose of the fingerprinting is the same, Dallas PD can search FACT and subscribe to the applicant s record without requiring the applicant to be reprinted.
One more function available to entities is the Unsubscribe option. This option should be used anytime an individual is no longer employed, contracted, or volunteering at your entity. If an entity does not unsubscribe to their applicants, they may be in violation of state and federal laws.
Important Note: Participation in FACT requires applicants to use FAST. By utilizing the FACT Clearinghouse and FAST Program, results will be received by your agency within approximately 48 to 72 hours from the time the applicant is fingerprinted. You will be provided with the applicant s photo, demographic information, and a fingerprint-based state and national criminal history report.
In late 2014, authorized entities will be able to subscribe to a person of interest to receive notifications of future reported activities that might affect whether or not a person in a position of trust should remain there. Based on notices from triggering events, evaluations can be made about their continued suitability. This service will allow for the continued awareness of activity within a criminal history record after a subscription has been set for an individual who was determined to be suitable after the initial background check.
Who has authority: a nongovernmental entity authorized by federal statute or federal executive order to receive CHRI for non-criminal justice purposes; or a government agency authorized by federal statute, federal executive order, or state statute which has been approved by the United States Attorney General to receive CHRI for non-criminal justice purposes.
The FBI will be charging a fee for this service. At this time, the final fee breakdown has not been determined. But, early discussions have centered around charging a fee based on the length of subscription the entity chooses. Three subscription lengths have been identified: two year, five year, or lifetime. As more information becomes available and documents finalized, the DPS will provide additional information to all interested parties.
Completeness Requirements A county must have a 5 year completeness average of 90% or higher for both adult and juvenile in order to qualify for grants, for criminal justice agencies, as well as, non-profit agencies. Agencies can run their own completeness report on the CJIS Website (contact your field rep for assistance) CCP Ch 60.14 links Grant Funding to Completeness Percentages and Ch 60.10 decides the 90%.
This can affect grant requests for Criminal Justice agencies as well as Non-Profit agencies. 2014 grants will be based on the compliance reports for CJIS/JJIS reporting for 2007-2011. Current rewrite/combination of these chapters is SB262.
To schedule a Countywide Meeting, a CJIS or JJIS Training or to meet with your DPS CJIS/JJIS Field Representative, call 512-424- 2478 or email afis.cjis@dps.texas.gov
Access to the JusticeXchange (TDEx) search portal can no longer be requested. Existing accounts are still being administered, but no new accounts are allowed. Requesting access to N-DEx through the LEO SIG is no longer possible. Users will be directed to contact the TDEx office at 512-424-2629 or via e-mail at tdex@dps.texas.gov to inquire about N-DEx Agency Administrators for their agency.
Agency Administrators are being added to N-DEx through the LEO Enterprise Portal. These administrators will be responsible for adding users at their respective agencies. Trainings have begun for N-DEx Agency Administrators. There is also a power point that DPS can provide to assist those AAs who have not been trained as of yet.
The Department offers an "FTP" download file that contains a subset of vehicles indexed in TCIC that is updated every hour from the Department TCIC database and twice daily from NCIC. The LPR file is designed for specific equipment with an electronic license plate reader (or scanner ) so that the mechanical components can scan passing vehicular traffic and alert an officer of potential concerns. This sub-system is not designed to be a replacement for the TCIC QV/ZV transactions. It was designed as a tool for the automated scanning process to enhance the recovery of stolen vehicles, stolen license plates, and to assist where vehicle information is within a wanted or missing person record, where the drivers (or vehicle) may not otherwise gain an officer's attention. The agency agreement that must be executed between the local enforcement agency and the Department expressly requires a subsequent QV/ZV on-line inquiry prior to any enforcement action involving the vehicle.
LPR Repository DPS will be building a repository (file) that will ingest and disseminate data that has been captured by automated LPRs across the state. The repository will be limited to basic information, such as, plate number, date/time, latitude/longitude, and ORI of the scanning agency No images will be captured and stored The file will contain LPR captures by DPS owned LPR cameras and scans from participating local, state, and federal agencies.
Retention: records submitted will be subject to retention rules that are established by the contributing agency The file will be made available to authorized TLETS criminal justice/law enforcement users.
A statewide repository of records related to criminal gangs and criminal street gang members. TxGang was mandated by the Texas Legislature in 1999, to encourage and expedite the exchange of criminal intelligence information between and among law enforcement agencies. Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Ch. 61 discusses requirements for TxGang.
Art. 61.03 of Texas Code of Criminal Procedure (c) If a local law enforcement agency compiles and maintains information under this chapter relating to a criminal street gang, the agency shall send the information to the department. (d) The department shall establish an intelligence database and shall maintain information received from an agency under Subsection (c) in the database in accordance with the policies established under 28 C.F.R. Section 23.1 et seq. and the submission criteria under Article 61.02(c).
Requires counties with a population of 100,000 or more and cities with a population of 50,000 or more to compile and maintain a local/regional gang database. This requires virtually every geographical area in Texas to monitor and record gangs and gang members as well as report that information to DPS. Requires CFR training for all who input or retrieve information every 2 years.
Status of TxGang TxGang is in it s third incarnation since 1999. Features of the current system: Over 4,000 defined gangs; 45,000+ confirmed gang members; definitive search options; mapping links using GoogleMaps; automatic gang member linking to the TxDPS computerized criminal history records (rap sheet); and ability to customize agency accounts to internal needs.
TxGang will begin sending data to the NCIC Gang file in 2013. This will generate Caution: GANG MEMBER on gang members run through TLETS if the gang member has been entered in TxGang. While not a cause for arrest, this caution code will result in increased officer awareness and safety. DPS continues to test functionality and expects to have this operational middle to end of this year.
TL010002 TX0000002 ***MESSAGE KEY ZW SEARCHES WANTED PERSON FILE FELONY RECORDS REGARDLESS OF EXTRADITION AND MISDEMEANOR RECORDS INDICATING POSSIBLE INTERSTATE EXTRADITION FROM THE INQUIRING AGENCY'S LOCATION. ALL OTHER NCIC PERSONS FILES ARE SEARCHED WITHOUT LIMITATIONS. WARNING - STANDING ALONE, NCIC GANG GROUP AND MEMBER FILE INFORMATION DOES NOT FURNISH GROUNDS FOR THE SEARCH OR SEIZURE OF ANY INDIVIDUAL, VEHICLE, OR DWELLING. MKE/CRIMINAL GANG MEMBER - CAUTION ORI/TX0000000 NAM/MEMBER, OFA GANG SEX/M RAC/B DOB/YYYYMMDD GNG/TXGANG*SWTX SGP/SEE MIS FIELD*SWTX
MKE/CRIMINAL GANG MEMBER - CAUTION ORI/TX0000000 NAM/MEMBER,OFA GANG SEX/M RAC/B DOB/YYYYMMDD GNG/TXGANG*SWTX SGP/SEE MIS FIELD*SWTX ECR/EF DOP/NONEXP OCA/1 NOA/N MIS/GANG NAME HERE TXHPD0000 PD H0UST0N 713 ###-#### DNA/N ORI IS DEPT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TCIC NCIC CONTROL CSA 512 424-2088 NIC/T800061912 DTE/20130322 1623 EDT DLU/20130410 1336 EDT ** TEST** THIS RESPONSE IS FROM THE NCIC TEST SYSTEM. MRI: 3881253 IN: NCICS1 10 AT 22APR2013 14:58:42 OUT: 0002 6 AT 22APR2013 14:58:43
DPS has continued to improve services and look for more avenues to share information not only within the state but throughout the nation. Through a partnership with Nlets, TLETS has functionality believed to be useful and beneficial to our law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. For example, the implementation and exchange of Driver License (DL) photos.
DPS will continue to participate in projects that are believed to add value to TLETS. Upcoming image and information sharing initiatives are: TIPS, Targeted Interstate Sharing of Photos NCIEN, Nationwide Corrections Images and Information Sharing Exchange CHIEF, Criminal History Information Exchange Format
Allows the exchange of a variety of types of images inter/intra state. This would include images of wanted persons, missing persons, vehicles, identifying scars, marks and tattoos and other images deemed critical to officers on the street. Message keys that will be modified to display images are: Alert Message (AM/AML) Homeland Security message (HS/HSL)
Testing is still ongoing; however, DPS has successfully tested from DPS to Nlets and from DPS to Arkansas. Work is still ongoing to support non- Omnixx/interface agencies. Test agencies will be contacted to assist in the endeavor. Once all issues have been identified and resolved, specifications will be developed and released.
This project will provide access to corrections photos and information that was previously unavailable through TLETS. TLETS will implement two new message keys: Corrections Photo Query (CPQ) Corrections Photo Response (CPR) A partnership between Appriss and Nlets will be leveraged to provide this information to the user community. To be implemented 2013.
In 1995, the National Task Force on Increasing the Utility of the Criminal History Record recommended the creation of a standardized format for the interstate sharing of CHRI data. Several issues kept the project from moving forward; such as, how to handle/display juvenile coding, etc. Newer versions of NIEM have since addressed this issue, allowing DPS to move forward with implementation of this long standing project.
The benefits to this standardization are: Accurate and timely ID of individuals prohibited from certain activities, such as firearm purchase, or hiring to a position of trust (working with children/elderly/etc) Streamlined background checks Better data for making decisions on detention, pre-trial release, charge enhancement, sentencing, etc.
SB 369/HB879: Relating to Sex Offender. Current law requires the TX Sex Offender Registry to include, in the public database, the name and address of the employer of an individual required to register under Art. 62.005 (b) CCP. SB369/HB879 amends that article to remove the requirement and to move the name and address to the nonpublic database utilized by law enforcement.
SB893/HB1848: Relating to TCIC. This bill will amend the Government Code to require DPS to obtain pertinent information regarding the conditions of bond imposed on the person to whom a protective order is directed for the protection of a victim in any family violence, sexual assault, or stalking case. This would result in the creation of a new Texas-only TCIC file to collect this information.