Information and Identification Services

Information and Identification Services Directorate has the responsibility to maintain and provide information in support of the law enforcement community's initiatives in the prevention, detection and suppression of crime. Automated information systems are developed, maintained and available to accredited agencies on the National Police Services NET. Although the RCMP is a national police force, the majority of services provided by this Directorate (approx. 70%) are to non RCMP clients.

Canadian Criminal Records Information Services maintains a central national repository of fingerprint and criminal record information which is communicated and disseminated to authorized law enforcement agencies, government departments for security/reliability investigations and to individuals requiring police certificates for visas and travel documents. During non-core hours the Canadian Police Services Information Centre (CPSIC) provides criminal record and identification services to all systems users including INTERPOL. The Criminal Record Entry Maintenance & Monitoring Direct Entry System (CREMMDES) is operational in eight (8) law enforcement agencies across Canada. The conversion of criminal record holdings from microfilm to electronic image storage has been completed.

National Missing Children Services provides a common reference source and is available on CPIC to assist police and other agencies in investigating, locating and recovering missing children from within Canada and internationally. Subject to the rules of access, information may be available to private groups and organizations concerned with missing children issues. National Missing Children Services will publish national bulletins and coordinate the exchange of prevention information with Canadian police agencies and NPOs. The current priorities of this section are centred on providing investigational assistance to police forces within Canada and abroad; with the majority of the work concerned with parental and stranger abduction. Missing Children Services coordinates a Travel/Reunification Program which assists in the return of Canadian children abducted from Canada.

National Weapons Enforcement Support Team (NWEST)
For further information, please see the NWEST page.

Forensic Identification Services is the policy centre for Forensic Identification related matters and provides specialized forensic services and criminal fingerprint information through the following services:

Fingerprint Services is mandated to maintain the central National Fingerprint repository in support of the criminal records information system. Additionally, criminal record and fingerprint identification services are available to all accredited agencies through the Canadian Police Services Information Centre (CPSIC) twenty four hours each day.

Regional Forensic Identification Support Section provides specialized technical support to Divisional Forensic Identification Sections. These services are strategically located in Halifax, Regina and Vancouver specializing in Blood Pattern Interpretation and expertise in other specialized areas such as chemical evidence detection techniques, laser examinations involving evidence and the recovery of buried remains.

Forensic Identification Research Services centrally located in Ottawa has the responsibility for conducting research relative to identification techniques and equipment; FIRS maintains a repository of forensic information which is available to all accredited agencies.

Forensic Imaging Services Section provides various imaging and photographic services in support of RCMP operations. Services include photographic processing and printing, electronic imaging, videotape reproduction, high resolution scanning, aerial photography and surveillance and equipment servicing and maintenance.

Canadian Police Information Centre : For further information, please see the Canadian Police Information Centre website.

Information Technology Services provides technical planning, development, integration, testing and support for all information technology systems within Information & Identification Services including the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) and others. ITS has the responsibility to develop and incorporate standards to facilitate external agency access to information systems available via the National Police Services Network.