Search Group Incorporated

“The members consist of one representative of each state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and eight individuals appointed by the Chairperson, known as at-large members.”

“Members each get one vote and elect the Board of Directors.”

“No committees have the authority to act on behalf of the governing body.”

“The filing of the Form 990 is operational which is reviewed by the Director of Operations and the Executive Director, not by the organization's governing body.”

“Upon request and also available on guidestar.org, a website for charity verification.”

“SEARCH's Information Sharing Program (ISP) helps state, local, and tribal justice and public safety organizations to develop, operate, secure, and improve information sharing in their jurisdictions. This assistance is provided through products and services in the areas of information sharing systems design and development, technology procurement and implementation, and interoperability. ISP performs four core services, three of which are related to information sharing: 1) technical assistance (consulting) and training, 2) participation in developing and promoting national information standards and supporting research, and 3) developing and implementing information sharing solutions that conform to national standards and best practices. The fourth core service is to provide training and technical assistance in support of communications interoperability and FirstNet. 1. During FY17, ISP provided on-site and in-house technical assistance to local, regional, state, and tribal agencies throughout the nation. These activities addressed a range of topics, including establishing information sharing governance structures, developing strategic plans, assessing technical and operational capabilities, assessing readiness for information sharing, and designing information sharing solutions that conform to national standards and best practices. - SEARCH provided assistance to jurisdictions in 29 states, 1 territory and the District of Columbia: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Washington D.C. - As part of the NCS-X Program, SEARCH provided NIBRS technical readiness assessments for six states planning to develop NIBRS reporting capabilities as part of the NCS-X project: Alabama, Arizona, Hawaii, Maine, North Carolina, and Wyoming. SEARCH did the same for 34 local law enforcement agencies (Alabama, California, Florida, Indiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Wyoming. - As part of the Technology Innovations in Public Safety Program SEARCH provided technical assistance to 10 agencies: Baltimore County PD, Cincinnati PD, Detroit PD, Dekalb County DA, Hartford PD, Los Angeles PD, Memphis PD, New Castle County Public Safety (DE), Seattle PD, St Louis County PD). - SEARCH provided onsite and in-house technical assistance, and programmatic oversight to help states increase the number of complete and accurate records available to the NICS for firearm purchaser background checks. SEARCH assisted 12 states: Arizona, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. - SEARCH provided help to national groups by serving as subject matter experts at a conference sponsored by the National Association for Justice Information Sharing (NAJIS). - SEARCH continued to support the e-learning course for its Justice Information Exchange Model (JIEM) business process and data modeling tool, and provided assistance to persons wishing to complete the course. - SEARCH continued to support the e-learning course for the Global Reference Architecture. 2. SEARCH ISP staff participated in multiple meetings and conference calls throughout the year, serving on multiple national criminal justice standards-setting and advisory bodies during FY2017. They included: - Global Advisory/Executive Steering Committee - Global Critical Nontraditional Information Exchange Task Team - Global Services Task Team - Global Standards Council - Justice Training and Technical Assistance Committee (JTTAC) - National Crime Statistics Exchange Project (NCS-X) - National Information Exchange Model (NIEM) Business Architecture Committee (NBAC) - NIEM Technical Architecture Committee (NTAC) - SAFECOM - Pu”

“SEARCH's High-Tech Crime Training Services (HTCTS) Program consists of a team of experts who provide technical Assistance and training to local, state, and federal justice public safety agencies nationwide. Through training classes, technical workshops, and hand-on assistance, SEARCH trains and assists investigators in methods to prevent, detect and investigate the rising tide of computer crime, also referred to as e-crime, cybercrime or high-tech crime. These crimes include fraud, email threats, online stalking, identity theft, phishing, drug trafficking, cyber terrorism and child exploitation. During FY17, SEARCH HTCTS staff: 1. Trained more than 2,600 law enforcement professionals in classroom and conference workshop settings throughout the nation. The topics included: Online Investigations: Tools, Tips and Techniques; Core Skills for the Investigation of Mobile Devices; Windows Forensic Environment for On-Scene Triage; Human Trafficking: Using the Internet to Investigate Your Case; Mobile Devices: What Evidence is Available to Corroborate Your Case; searching social media sites for evidence, and more. Staff also presented at several national or regional high- tech crime conferences. To ensure that students receive the most up-to-date information and techniques, SEARCH staff continuously updates course curricula to include the most recent information and innovations in the field. Staff also maintains the equipment in multiple mobile training laboratories, to ensure that students are working with the latest software and hardware available. 2. Responded to over 150 requests for technical assistance from law enforcement throughout the nation. This assistance included identifying the legal contact for various Internet service providers (ISP), helping extract data from mobile devices, capturing digital evidence from webpages, and advising on digital evidence triage. 3. Produces resources to assist law enforcement personnel with investigations involving digital evidence. This included: -Distributing more that 5,400 publications to law enforcement agencies across the nation. -Providing access to online training to more than 125 law enforcement professionals. -Maintaining the SEARCH Investigative and Forensic Toolbar, which provides law enforcement professionals with quick links to a vast network of resources regarding technology-facilitated crime. -SEARCH staff continues to update the toolbar for the Firefox, Chrome and Safari web browsers. Each of these web browsers regularly change their functionality requiring consistent updates to the toolbar. Between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017, the SEARCH Toolbar has been downloaded more the 3,000 times with an average daily use of over 250 visits per day. -Through SEARCH's On-line Learning Portal (SOLP), SEARCH has continued to provide access to its pre-recorded and live webinar series. 4. SEARCH staff continued work on the Digital Evidence Legal Wiki, which provides law enforcement and prosecutors with the ability to research current trends in digital evidence as it relates to case law. The Legal Wiki is currently being re- designed to make it more user friendly to enter case data. 5. SEARCH staff has begun work on a new database called the Mobile Information Knowledgebase Ecosystem (MIKE). MIKE provides investigators with information regarding data surrounding the mobile device platform. In addition to discussing tips and techniques for data extraction it looks at individual applications to determine what types of data can be extracted. 6. SEARCH continued to research alternative solutions that will give investigators the ability to investigate crimes with digital evidence. During FY17, SEARCH began developing a course tentatively titled "Core Skills for the Investigation of Mobile Device Applications'. This course is specifically designed to breakdown the individual application that reside on a mobile device. Students will learn how to extract the data off of the device and examine th”

“SEARCH's Law and Policy Program (L&P) improves public safety by helping federal, state, local, and tribal entities develop responsible justice information management laws, policies, and procedures. This is accomplished through application of experience and knowledge, research, and by national projects that examine emerging trends and issues that have the potential to impact the collection, maintenance, and exchange of justice information. To achieve program initiatives, the L&P Program endeavors to monitor and inform policymakers on developments in justice information management; assist in establishing policies that promote balance between societal interests and individual rights; provide policymakers with resources to support the adoption of effective information management policies, procedures, and guidelines; assist operational staff in day-to-day decision-making; and develop resources to improve state participation in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), the Interstate Identification Index (III, which is the national criminal records exchange system), and other national efforts. During FY16, SEARCH L&P activities included the following: National Criminal History Improvement Technical Assistance Program: This project provides technical assistance to states and federal entities under the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) and the NICS Act Record Improvement Program (NARIP) to enhance and improve criminal history systems and related records. In-house (Office Based) Technical Assistance: -FBI CJIS Disposition Task Force (SEARCH #998) Staff participated in a FBI CJIS Disposition Task Force conference call and provided a copy of SEARCH's Quality Assurance Program (QAP) Checklist and a copy of the proposed 2016 Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems questionnaire for review. SEARCH asked participants to provide input and guidance concerning disposition reporting that is referenced in each. -Focus Group to refresh and update the State Repository Quality Assurance Program (QAP) Checklist (SEARCH # 3848) On August 9, 2016, staff contacted the SEARCH Membership Group to seek volunteers to work on updating the QAP Checklist. From that inquiry, SEARCH Members from five states (Idaho, Maine, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia) as well as New York's State Sheriffs' Association Institute volunteered to participate. On September 22, 2016, staff provided briefing materials and a copy of the QAP checklist to focus group members to review in advance of its first conference call. Focus group members are as follows: Dennis DeBacco, SEARCH Staff; Becki Goggins, SEARCH Staff; Melissa Nee, SEARCH Staff; SEARCH Member Dawn Peck, Manager, Bureau of Criminal Identification, Idaho State Police; SEARCH Member Matthew Ruel, Director, Maine State Bureau of Identification, Maine State Police; Shannon Hanes, Business and Technology Application Analyst, North Carolina Bureau of Criminal Identification; SEARCH Member Major Jennie Temple, Criminal Justice Information Services, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division; SEARCH Member Captain Thomas Turner, Division Commander, Criminal Justice Information Services Division, Virginia State Police; and SEARCH Member Dan Foro, Senior Advisor, New York State Sheriffs' Association Institute. On October 4, 2016, staff hosted a conference call with focus group members to determine and establish a methodology for updating the QAP checklist. During this call, focus group members determined they would perform the QAP checklist review over the course of three, one-hour conference calls. The focus group reviewed the document's Introduction and Sections 15 and documented updated information to reflect current practices. Staff made changes to the QAP document based on the recommendations made during the call. On October 17, 2016, staff hosted a second conference call with focus group members. During this call, the focus group reviewed Sections 612 and document”

“-DC, Law Offices of Margaret Love, 1, Staff provided information regarding state policies for sealing and expunging criminal history records to Margaret Love, Principal, Law Offices of Margaret Love, Washington, DC. -GA, DeKalb County, Georgia, 2, Staff replied to a submission from SEARCH's online Assistance Request Form from Mr. Timothy Jackson of DeKalb County, Georgia. He was seeking information about what to do if an officer unlawfully accesses criminal history information. -HI , Department of the Attorney General, Criminal Justice Division, 2, Staff provided information about how Federal prosecutors charge "sexploitation" crimes to Frank Kardasz, Supervisory Special Agent, Commander, Hawaii ICAC Task Force, Department of the Attorney General, Criminal Justice Division. -IA , Iowa Department of Public Safety, 1, Staff provided information concerning criminal history record auditing procedures to Katie Beer, DCI Criminal History Auditor, Iowa Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Investigation. -MD, Information Technology & Communications Division, Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services, 3, Staff provided information on state policies for background checks for Transportation Network Companies to SEARCH Member Carole Shelton. Staff also provided links to previous studies and SEARCH focus group findings on the relative accuracy of fingerprint based versus non-fingerprint based background checks. -MD, Maryland Criminal Justice Information Systems, 2, Staff provided information on the 2014 national survey of state criminal history information systemsas well as URL addresses to obtain historical posts of previously published survey reports dating back to 1989to Beverly Wilson, Director, Maryland Criminal Justice Information Systems. -MT, Montana Attorney General's Office, 1, Staff provided information about the impact of proposed legislation that would transfer Montana's Board of Crime Control and its functions from the Department of Justice to the Department of Corrections to Bryan Lockerby, Administrator, Division of Criminal Investigation, Montana Attorney General's Office. -MT, Montana Board of Crime Control, 3, Staff participated in a conference call with SEARCH Member Eleanor Cooperidge (MT) and Devon Adams (BJS) to discuss the impact of proposed legislation that would transfer Montana's Board of Crime Control and its functions from the Department of Justice to the Department of Corrections. -National, Various Federal Agencies, 3, Staff reviewed bills pending in Congress that would impact state criminal history repositories and NICS Index submissions. Staff reviewed and commented on bills that would expand criminal background checks for civil purposes, including employment, licensing and firearms transfers. Staff reviewed and commented on bills that would impact NCIC and III operations. Staff provided written and verbal feedback to Melissa Nee, Manager of Legislative Affairs, SEARCH. -National, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2, Staff provided information on the efficacy of fingerprint- versus name based background checks to Thomas G. Aldridge, Criminal Justice Information Law Unit, Office of the General Counsel, CJIS Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Staff also provided Mr. Aldridge with a copy of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General's 2011 report titled, "Nursing Facilities' Employment of Individuals with Criminal Convictions." -National, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 3, Staff provided information about barriers faced by states in implementing national Rap Back to Brian Edgell, Biometric Services Section, CJIS Division, FBI. -National, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2, Staff provided information on the relative effectiveness of name-based versus fingerprint-based civil background checks to Paula Zirkle, Unit Chief, CJIS/Biometric Services Section, FBI. -National, Federal Bureau of Investigation, 8, Staff provided information on the numbe”

“-TX, Netspark IP & Telecom, 2, Staff provided information on employment-related criminal background checks to Lauren Crofford, Netspark IP & Telecom. -TX, Judicial Committee on Information Technology, 4, Staff provided information on eWarrants to SEARCH Member Bob Wessels. -VA, Assurance Services, 2, Staff provided information on where to find financial crime statistics and insider threat prosecution statistics to Paul Alvarez, Senior Manager, Assurance Services, Fraud Investigation & Dispute Services. On-Site Technical Assistance: During the period July 1, 2016 - June 30, 2017, SEARCH staff provided on-site technical assistance to the following: -National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact Council and Council Committee Meetings (SEARCH #252) - In November 2016, staff attended the Compact Council meeting in St. Louis, MO, and provided the Council with a briefing on current SEARCH Membership and staff activities. Staff also attended the Compact Council meeting in Pittsburgh, PA on May 10-11, 2017 and provided the Council with a SEARCH update and briefing of current SEARCH Membership and staff activities. -FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Advisory Policy Board (CJIS APB) and Committee Meetings (SEARCH #677) - In December 2016, staff attended and provided a SEARCH update presentation at a meeting of the FBI CJIS Advisory Policy Board, held in Phoenix, AZ. Staff also attended and provided a SEARCH update presentation at a meeting of the FBI CJIS Advisory Policy Board, held in Jacksonville, FL on June 7-8, 2017. -Uniform Law Commission (ULC) (SEARCH #3668) - Staff attended the Uniform Law Commission's (ULC) Criminal Records Accuracy drafting committee meeting on September 2425, 2016, and provided committee members with information about how state repositories create and maintain criminal history records. Staff attended the Uniform Law Commission's (ULC) Criminal Records Accuracy drafting committee meeting in Washington, DC on March 23-25, 2017 and provided committee members with information about how criminal history records are created and maintained by state repositories. -SEARCH Membership Group Meeting (SEARCH #3915) - At the semi-annual SEARCH Membership Meeting held in Phoenix, AZ on January 24-26, 2017, staff provided an update regarding the activities of the Uniform Law Commission's Criminal History Accuracy Committee. Staff facilitated a round table discussion of challenges to linking arrests to dispositions. Staff facilitated breakout sessions on: 1) the impact of the Adam Walsh Act on states; and 2) disposition reporting challenges and strategies for success in reporting dispositions. Staff provided a summary of the proceedings from the breakout sessions to SEARCH members. -Quality Assurance Program (QAP) Site Visit South Carolina (SEARCH #3848) - On May 16, 2017, staff met with Jennie Temple, SEARCH Member from South Carolina, and members of her staff to conduct a QAP site visit and to discuss and go-over the state's completed QAP checklist. Data Collection and Publication of Criminal History-Related Surveys and Materials - 2016 Repository Operations Survey (SEARCH 3804) - On September 2, 2016, staff met with BJS officials to review and discuss proposed changes to the 2016 Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems questionnaire. Staff provided a revised survey instrument and crosswalk document to highlight changes from the 2014 survey, which was used to facilitate discussion. From that effort, staff revised the survey instrument and solicited a review from staff of the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division. Thisresulted in SEARCH staff making revisions and additions to questions in Section III Disposition Reporting. On October 28, 2016, Staff forwarded the final 2016 survey questionnaire, crosswalk document, and change justification documents to BJS for review and subsequent submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for their approval. Beginning December 12 through Dece”