Federal Cooperative Agreement Summary

The Wisconsin Department of Justice received a $720,000 Cooperative Agreement award from the Bureau of Justice Statistics under the National Criminal History Improvement Program (CFDA 16.554) effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029. The award funds three primary initiatives to modernize Wisconsin's criminal history record repository: (1) an National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) XML conversion project to modernize data exchange with national systems and implement N3G web service interfaces aligned with Federal Bureau of Investigation specifications; (2) the expansion of livescan fingerprint and mobile identification device deployment to local law enforcement agencies, enabling capture of mug shots, palm prints, juvenile fingerprints, and rapid "lights-out" searches of the FBI's Repository of Individuals of Special Concern (RISC) for threat assessment; and (3) the replacement of legacy batch card scanning hardware to digitize the remaining 1–3% of hard-copy fingerprint cards received by mail into electronic formats for integration into automated digital workflows.

The award supports Wisconsin's broader criminal justice infrastructure modernization by addressing data exchange gaps and biometric capture limitations while providing funding directly to local criminal justice agencies for equipment procurement. These improvements enhance the speed and accuracy of criminal history records accessible to law enforcement and support background check processes critical to public safety operations statewide.