Justice Department Expands Tribal Access Program to Improve the Exchange of Critical Data with Federally Recognized Tribes

The Justice Department has selected seven additional federally recognized Tribes to participate in the continued expansion of the Tribal Access Program for National Crime Information (TAP), a program that provides Tribal governments with means to access, enter, and exchange data with national crime information systems, including those maintained by the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division.

“The Justice Department is pleased to continue its expansion of the Tribal Access Program, which equips Tribal governments with federal crime data to solve crimes, conduct background checks, and identify wanted predators,” said Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter.  “These are the tools Tribal governments need to protect and serve their communities, which in turn strengthens the rule of law and public safety for families and children in Indian Country.”

TAP provides training as well as software and biometric/biographic workstations to process fingerprints, take mugshots, and submit information to FBI CJIS systems.

The Justice Department began TAP in 2015 in response to concerns raised by Tribal leaders about the need to have direct access to federal systems. Using TAP, Tribes have shared information about missing persons; registered convicted sex offenders; entered domestic violence orders of protection for nationwide enforcement; entered orders that prevent dangerous prohibited persons from obtaining firearms; run criminal histories; identified and arrested fugitives; entered bookings and convictions; and completed fingerprint-based record checks for non-criminal justice purposes such as screening employees or volunteers who work with children.

“The Tribal Access Program has been an immense support to our work serving the members of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community,” said Adrienne Haines, Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Social Services Program Manager. “It has allowed us to efficiently process fingerprints and obtain important background information regarding potential caregivers in a timely manner, which helps us provide safe and responsive services to our families. The system is easy to use, reliable, and fits well into our daily work processes. Having minimal delays in receiving background information has greatly improved our department’s efficiency and ability to make informed decisions quickly. Overall, the Tribal Access Program has been a valuable resource for our team and has positively impacted the work we do for our community.”

The following additional Tribes have been selected for participation in TAP:

1. Cahuilla Band of Indians (California)
2. Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians (Maine)
3. Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma (Oklahoma)
4. Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (Minnesota)
5. Pechanga Band of Indians (California)
6. Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation (Nevada & Idaho)
7. Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians of California (California)

TAP is managed by the Justice Department’s Office of the Chief Information Officer and the Office of Tribal Justice. It is funded by the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART), the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).

For more information on TAP, visit www.justice.gov/tribal/tribal-access-program-tap.