Senators Collins, King Announce Nearly $1.5 Million for Maine Department of Public Safety
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that the Maine Department of Public Safety has been awarded $1,460,169 through the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) to replace outdated fingerprinting technology and to improve access to criminal records.
“Accurate and timely forensic science and access to criminal records are crucial to ensuring the effectiveness of our criminal system,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement. “This funding will enhance the Maine Department of Public Safety’s efforts to protect Maine residents and achieve justice by enhancing its database, maintaining the reliability of fingerprinting scans, and increasing resources for staff.”
This funding will be used for:
- Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) Support: The funding will help support a new Tri-State AFIS system that is shared by Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
- Livescan Fingerprinting Replacement: The funding will be used to replace five Livescans in Portland, Rockland, Bangor, Caribou, and Auburn. The upgrade in Livescans across the state will ensure a more efficient and effective processing of information on the state and federal levels, including qualifying records submitted to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
- Converting Criminal History Records to Electronic Format: The funding will support efforts to convert all State Bureau of Identification files from paper to an easy-to-use electronic format by purchasing scanners for staff.
- Correcting Court Records: The funding will allow the Maine Judicial Branch to conduct individual file research and correct criminal court records that did not meet the standards for records submission as established by the FBI.
The goal of NCHIP is to improve the nation's safety and security by enhancing the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information and by ensuring the nationwide implementation of criminal justice and noncriminal justice background check systems.
