The Justice Department announced the commencement of the application period for federally recognized Tribes and intertribal consortia to join the Tribal Access Program (TAP) for National Crime Information. TAP aims to enhance public safety by granting Tribes access to national crime information databases, such as the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC), for authorized criminal and non-criminal justice purposes.
The application period for TAP runs from June 24 to August 30, with selected Tribes to be notified in September. Currently, 132 federally recognized Tribes are participants in the program.
TAP provides Tribes with essential tools, including software, hardware, and training, as well as web-based applications and biometric/biographic kiosk workstations. These resources enable Tribes to process fingerprints, take mugshots, and submit information to FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) systems.
Through TAP, Tribes have been able to share information about missing persons, enforce domestic violence protection orders, register sex offenders, run criminal histories, locate fugitives, and conduct fingerprint-based checks for non-criminal justice purposes, such as employee or volunteer screenings.
Officials from the Domestic Policy Council and the Office of the First Lady reiterated the Administration’s commitment to expanding access to community colleges, highlighting TAP’s significant role in improving public safety and justice within Tribal communities. The program’s success is evident in its current applications, and the new application period aims to expand its reach further.
The Cherokee Nation and Suquamish Tribal Police Department are among the many beneficiaries of TAP, utilizing it for various purposes, from law enforcement to child support services.
TAP is supported by multiple offices within the Justice Department, including the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking; the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office on Violence Against Women. It is co-managed by the Department’s Office of the Chief Information Officer and Office of Tribal Justice.
Informational webinars will be held throughout July and August to guide interested Tribes through the application process and detail TAP’s capabilities which can be found on the Justice Department’s website.
