All public safety agencies rely on a Records Management System to store, retrieve, retain, manage, archive and view information, records, documents, or files pertaining to law enforcement operations.  Law enforcement documents many activities including incidents, arrests, accidents, citations, warrants, investigative cases, field contacts and other operations. Nationally, law enforcement agencies invest billions of dollars to purchase, maintain and manage these systems.  Standards are important to ensure these investments provide law enforcement with the necessary capabilities to manage their departments.  The IJIS Institute partnered with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to update a 20-year-old standards document to ensure law enforcement has a current blueprint for records management decisions.

Our team has provided resources to help manage this effort and publish the most recent version of the Law Enforcement Records Management System Functional Specifications. IJIS members participate on the RMS Standards Task Force along with practitioners to continually review the content and standards for accuracy and relevancy.  This is just one example where the value of IJIS is bringing together practitioners and industry in a neutral setting to develop products that benefit public safety.  These standards are critical to ensuring cost effective implementations that are successful at the local level.

The Law Enforcement Records Management System Functional Specifications document has been used by practitioners and industry to guide Requests for Proposals, train new employees, and as a guide for the key elements that should be included in a baseline Records Management System for any public safety agency.  The Standards Committee continues to meet quarterly to review potential updates to the document to ensure it remains current and relevant.