RCMP Fact Sheets

Information and Identification Services (I&IS)

QUICK FACTS • I&IS provides services to over 500 police agencies across Canada. • There are six branches with a total of 467 employees • The Fingerprint repository contains more than 3.5 million sets of fingerprints • There are 30 million records in CCRTIS • Over 500,000 criminal record transactions are processed annually • Forensic Identification Specialists complete a four-year training program

Overview
Information and Identification Services Directorate supports law enforcement in the prevention, detection and suppression of crime through the provision and maintenance of information. Automated information systems are developed, maintained and available to accredited agencies via the National Police Services Network.

Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services (CCRTIS)
Canadian Criminal Real Time Identification Services maintains a central national repository of fingerprint and criminal record information which is available to authorized law enforcement agencies, government departments for security/reliability investigations and to individuals requiring police certificates for visas and travel documents.

Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC)
The Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) is a national repository of police operational information that represents a vital source of shared information used by the Canadian law enforcement community.

National Missing Children’s Services (NMCS)

NMCS assists Canadian and international agencies with missing children investigations. NMCS works cooperatively and collectively with municipal, regional, provincial and national law enforcement agencies as well as with other Canadian organizations.

NMCS also publishes national bulletins and coordinates the exchange of prevention information with Canadian police agencies and NPOs.

National Weapons Enforcement Team (NWEST)
NWEST provides investigative support, firearms tracing, training,analytical assistance, and access to a network of national and international investigative firearms groups. NWEST:
• strengthens Canadian law enforcement agencies’ ability to address the smuggling and trafficking of illegal weapons,
• increases expertise in intelligence on the illegal movement of firearms, and
• enhances the capability of Canadian law enforcement to trace illegal weapons.

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

Fingerprint Services manages and maintains Canada’s central National Fingerprint repository in support of the criminal records information system. Stored fingerprints are used to assist law enforcement agencies to identify those responsible for the commission of crimes. Fingerprint searches are also conducted in support of government departments security/reliability investigations, and for civil fingerprint screening.

Regional Forensic Identification Support Services (RFISS) provides specialized technical Forensic support to all accredited police agencies in Canada. These services are strategically located in Halifax, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver. Team members attend major crime scenes and disasters, gather and document physical evidence at these scenes, providing bloodstain pattern interpretation, anthropology searches, entomology evidence collection, and assistance with other scientific techniques.

Forensic Identification Research Services (FIRS) supports law enforcement with information related to the best methods for the recovery and treatment of crime scene evidence, including health and safety considerations. Members also carry out research projects aimed at improving methods and techniques.

Forensic Imaging Services Section provides imaging and photographic services in support of RCMP operations.

Information Technology Services (ITS)
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 develops and incorporates standards to facilitate external agency access to information systems via the National Police Services Network (NPSNet).

The NPSNet is the central nervous system for the Canadian policing community. It offers a highly reliable and secure way to share information, via a national data network serving approximately 60,000 users in 1,200 locations across Canada and the high Arctic. The NPSNet connects to all RCMP locations, municipal and provincial police forces, as well as Federal and Provincial justice and government organizations, and interfaces to several international organizations such as the FBI and Interpol.

Management Services
Management Services provides administrative, financial, staff development and planning support services to the Directorate.