Inside the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division
OLIVIA MILLER
Biometric Technology Center . Photo by David Hoke .
Tucked away in the rolling hills of Clarksburg , WV , lies a state-of-the-art , high-tech hub that most West Virginians know little about . The hub houses the FBI ’ s Criminal Justice Information Services ( CJIS ) Division and is central to combatting crime and terrorism — playing a critical role in helping strengthen national security .
The heart of the complex boasts a 500,000-square-foot main office building on a 990-acre campus and includes features such as a 600-seat cafeteria , 500-seat auditorium and 100,000-square-foot computer center .
The CJIS Division is the largest in the FBI and has one of the biggest impacts on the American people , yet people know the least about its various functions and responsibilities .
The CJIS Division is a community of more than 3,000 employees and contractors who manage seven significant FBI criminal information programs — the Next Generation Identification Iris Service , National Instant Criminal Background Check System ( NICS ), National Crime Information Center ( NCIC ), Uniform Crime Reporting Program , National Data Exchange , Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal and National Threat Operations Center ( NTOC ).
The facility is staffed year-round — 24 hours a day , seven days a week — analyzing fingerprints and other biometric data , processing background checks for firearm purchases , responding to tips of potential threats to the public , assisting with criminal investigations , educating law enforcement agencies about available resources and much more .
The goal of the CJIS Division is clear — daily decisions made at all levels focus on the mission of keeping the country safe and supporting the public with a culture of good judgment , high energy , demonstrated competence and customer service .
“ We are doing great things that positively impact our partners , as well as the nation ’ s communities we serve ,” says Assistant Director Michael Christman . “ I am excited about where the division is headed .”
The CJIS Division ’ s NCIC maintains a criminal records database that allows for law enforcement agencies to search for information about fugitives , stolen property , missing or wanted persons , domestic violence and criminal histories .
Supporting investigations around the world requires accuracy and prompt response — there is no time to waste when people ’ s lives are at stake . To date , the active record count is over 17.5 million . The organization processes approximately 11 million records a day with an average response time of less than a hundredth of a second . Comparatively , in the center ’ s first year of existence in 1967 , only 2 million transactions were processed .
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