The south carolina law enforcement division (sled), as the states criminal justice information services (cjis) systems agency, maintains the south carolina criminal history repository, the automated…

The Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics awarded the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division a $2,562,459 cooperative agreement on July 1, 2026, under the National Criminal History Improvement Program (CFDA 16.554) to modernize the state's criminal history and biometric systems.

SLED will migrate its Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) to a secure Microsoft Azure Government cloud environment using Idemia's multi-biometric identification system. The upgraded system will enhance fingerprint, latent print, palm print, and facial recognition capabilities; improve matching accuracy; increase database capacity; strengthen disaster recovery; and enable future participation in FBI Next Generation Identification initiatives, including Rap Back and the Alternate National Fingerprint File Program.

The award funds dedicated personnel to improve the quality and completeness of criminal history and National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) records statewide and nationally. Temporary staff will review, research, verify, enter, and update court-ordered mental health adjudications and other prohibiting records into NICS to support timely firearm eligibility determinations. Additional personnel will process expungements, pardons, missing dispositions, and criminal history modifications; convert legacy fingerprint cards into searchable electronic records; provide statewide training and auditing on fingerprint submissions, warrant entries, and disposition reporting; and manage secure access to CJIS systems.

Performance occurs in Columbia, South Carolina from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029. SLED maintains South Carolina's criminal history repository, AFIS, sex offender registry, and serves as the state point of contact for the FBI's NICS.

The south carolina law enforcement division (sled), as the states criminal justice information services (cjis) systems agency, maintains the south carolina criminal history repository, the automated fingerprint identification system (afis), the SEX offender registry, and serves as the state point of contact for the fbis national instant criminal background check system (nics). Through the FY 2025 consolidated national criminal history improvement program, sled seeks continued support for a statewide criminal history improvement and biometric modernization initiative designed to improve the accuracy, completeness, accessibility, and timeliness of criminal history and firearm eligibility records. A major component of this initiative is the continued modernization of sleds afis through migration to a secure microsoft azure government cloud environment using idemias multi biometric identification system. The upgraded system will enhance fingerprint, latent print, palm print, and facial recognition capabilities; improve matching accuracy; increase database capacity; strengthen disaster recovery capabilities; and support future participation in FBI next generation identification initiatives, including RAP back and the alternate national fingerprint file program. Funding will also support personnel dedicated to improving the quality and completeness of criminal history and nics records statewide and nationally. Temporary staff will review, research, verify, enter, and update court ordered mental health adjudications and other prohibiting records into nics to support timely firearm eligibility determinations. Additional personnel will process expungements, pardons, missing dispositions, and criminal history modifications; assist with the conversion of legacy fingerprint cards into searchable electronic records; provide statewide training and auditing on fingerprint submissions, warrant entries, and disposition reporting; and manage secure access to cjis systems. Together, these efforts will improve criminal history reporting, reduce record errors, strengthen information sharing among criminal justice agencies, and enhance public safety throughout south carolina and the nation.