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

The Justice Department has selected 17 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. This announcement follows Attorney General Merrick B. Garland’s trips to Montana, New Mexico, and South Dakota during which he visited with numerous Tribal and federal law enforcement officials and Tribal leaders to discuss the public safety challenges faced by Tribal communities.

“Tribal communities deserve safety, and they deserve justice,” said Attorney General Garland. “The Tribal Access Program provides Tribes with the crime information they need to investigate crimes, apprehend suspects, protect vulnerable persons, and ensure justice for victims. It reflects the Justice Department’s steadfast commitment to working with our Tribal law enforcement partners to protect those living in Indian Country.”

With this expansion, TAP now supports 149 Tribes and more than 460 Tribal government agencies.

“The Tribal Access Program has enhanced our efforts in the administration of criminal justice within the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas reservation,” said Interim Tribal Police Director Epifanio Ruiz of the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas. “During the performance of our duties, the Tribal police department has effectively apprehended subjects within the Tribal nation who have outstanding warrants in other jurisdictions thus enhancing the safety and wellbeing of the community.”

TAP provides training as well as software and biometric/biographic kiosk 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 following additional Tribes have been selected for participation in TAP:

1. Catawba Indian Nation
2. Crow Tribe
3. Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians
4. Native Village of Gakona
5. Northern Cheyenne Tribe
6. Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council
7. Quileute Tribe
8. Snoqualmie Indian Tribe
9. Village of Dot Lake
10. Walker River Paiute Tribe
11. Caddo Nation
12. Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians
13. Augustine Band of Cahuilla Indians
14. Karuk Tribe
15. Shawnee Tribe
16. Yerington Paiute Tribe of the Yerington Colony & Campbell Ranch
17. Kiowa Indian Tribe

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.