National Criminal Intelligence System
A message from Matthew Rippon, Deputy Chief Executive Officer Intelligence.
When a repeat domestic violence offender removed an ankle monitor, stole a vehicle and went on a rampage across several police commands in New South Wales, extensive police resources were dedicated to locating the offender, unsuccessfully.
One intelligence officer on the assignment had recently been trained on National Criminal Intelligence System (NCIS). A search on the system revealed the offender had been arrested and detained in Victoria. NCIS showed details of the interstate arrest narrative, charges and court dates. With the offender in custody, resources were re-tasked and extradition arrangements made.
Previous police information sharing systems contain conviction information, but not highly valuable information on incidents, or other extensive information available to officers in their local systems.
NCIS changes that.
It provides law enforcement and intelligence agencies with a national view of criminal intelligence and information – contributing to a safer Australia by arming agencies with the cross-border information they need, when they need it, to address and prevent criminal activity.
A number of police agencies are sharing extensive operational policing data and have integrated NCIS into their local systems, including mobile solutions. Other agencies are using NCIS and working to enhance the data they share. The Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and the Department of Home Affairs are also contributing data to NCIS and using the capability day-to-day.
Feedback from police and intelligence officers using NCIS is that its modern search capabilities and access to information previously unavailable, is proving to be highly valuable in a range of operational law enforcement scenarios.
NCIS is underpinned by a comprehensive compliance framework to ensure it meets legal obligations for lawful information sharing and use under the relevant Commonwealth, state and territory legislation. Each agency retains control over the data they contribute to NCIS, and the system is designed so that users only see the information they are permitted to see. All use of the system is monitored and audited.
NCIS will be a key law enforcement and intelligence information sharing platform for the future. Work is already in progress to include detailed policing data from the remaining police agencies, more national policing datasets, criminal intelligence information and to add more capabilities to NCIS in support of national law enforcement and intelligence outcomes.
