Bureau of Criminal Apprehension - Minnesota Senate

Department of Public SafetyBureau of Criminal Apprehension Page 3 of 4database and all new arrestees are searched againstthe unsolved latent database.Breath Alcohol Testing Laboratory — Scientists trainand certify law enforcement personnel in breath alcoholtesting procedures. The BCA lab owns and providestesting instruments to law enforcement throughout thestate. This program is a key element in the timelydetection of DWI offenders.Toxicology Laboratory – Scientists analyze blood,urine and other biological samples for alcohol and otherdrugs. This analysis is essential in proving DWIoffenses.Documents Laboratory — Scientists providehandwriting analysis as well as other scientificexaminations relating to documents.Trace Laboratory — Scientists compare known andunknown samples of glass, paint, fibers, wood, soil andInvestigative Servicesother materials. Other examinations includecomparisons of shoe prints and tire tracks, physicalmatches of separated objects and testing to determinethe presence of accelerants in fire debris.Crime Scene Service — Scientists identify and collectphysical evidence from death scenes throughout thestate. Teams from both St. Paul and Bemidji areavailable 24/7.Accreditation –BCA laboratories are accredited by theAmerican Society of Crime LaboratoryDirectors/Laboratory Accreditation Board. Thisdistinguished accreditation demonstrates thatmanagement, personnel, operational and technicalprocedures, equipment and physical facilities meetnational standards. Accreditation is one part of aquality assurance program to ensure that the bestservices possible are provided.BCA Special Agents and Analysts — Employeesare strategically positioned in ten field offices and tworegional offices around the state. Investigativeassistance is provided 24/7 to 87 sheriff’s departmentsand over 400 local police departments. Servicesinclude immediate investigative, analytical, crimescene and special operations responses, and longerterm assistance with complex investigations. Theseare essential services that many law enforcementagencies throughout the state cannot support locally.Cold Case Assistance — Agents and analysts workwith local law enforcement to investigate old homicidecases. New forensic advancements are utilized tosolve these cases.Internet Crimes Against Children – This unit targetsoffenders who use online technology to sexuallyexploit children. Investigative assistance andcomputer forensics are provided. The BCAcoordinates and oversees the operations of thestatewide ICAC Task Force. In 2009 the task forcehandled over 200 child pornography or online sexualsolicitation cybertips received from the NationalCenter for Missing and Exploited Children.Minnesota Joint Analysis Center (MNJAC) – TheMNJAC, Minnesota’s designated fusion centercollects, evaluates, analyzes and disseminatesinformation regarding organized criminal, terrorist andall-hazards activity. MNJAC provides a state-basedpoint of contact to coordinate information sharingbetween federal, state and local agencies(www.icefishx.org).Predatory Offender Registration (POR) Program –This unit maintains records on over 17,000 registeredpredatory offenders. That information is available tolaw enforcement and corrections agencies via asecure website. Agents assist local law enforcementwith tracking and prosecuting non-compliant offendersand with investigating sexual assaults. The POR Unitmaintains a website which identifies non-compliantregistrants and allows the public to submit tipsregarding their possible locations(www.por.state.mn.us).Technical Support/Special Operations - This unitprovides expertise in the use of a wide range of covertinvestigative techniques, including the use ofundercover operatives, a variety of surveillancetechniques, and the design and installation of covertlydeployed surveillance equipment. In 2009 this unitwas responsible for the safe recovery of missingpersons as well as the apprehension of violentfugitives and non-compliant sex offenders.

Department of Public SafetyBureau of Criminal Apprehension Page 4 of 4Minnesota Justice Information Services (MNJIS)Criminal Justice Data Communication Network(CJDN) – Data are available through the BCA as thestate’s centralized network of criminal justiceinformation. Access to multiple information systemsand services is available through the CJDN for criminaljustice purposes. Major systems accessible throughthe CJDN include:• PS Portals: Warrants, Gangs and Orders forProtection Files, MN Computerized Criminal Historydata, Driver and Vehicle Services Files and Photos,National Crime Information Center data, NationalLaw Enforcement Telecommunications System data• Minnesota Repository of Arrest Photos• eCharging• Predatory Offender Registry• Comprehensive Incident-Based ReportingSystem• Permit Tracking System• Criminal History Record Maintenance System• Integrated Search ServiceCriminal History Background Checks and CriminalHistory Information - Staff performs statutorilyrequired and discretionary criminal history backgroundchecks. The Minnesota CCH and, in some cases, theFBI's fingerprint-based records are searched. Staffalso maintains and administers three components ofMinnesota criminal history information. The first is theComputerized Criminal History system – Minnesota’srepository of criminal history records including arrests,court dispositions, probation, and incarceration data.The second is the Minnesota Repository of ArrestPhotos–a centralized database of arrest photos thatpermits searches by characteristics, has facialrecognition capabilities and can be used for photo lineups.And finally, the Public Access – public criminalhistory information is available for free at the BCA orvia the Internet.Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program – Dataabout crimes and arrests, police officers killed in action,BCA ContactsWade Setter, SuperintendentTelephone: (651) 793-1000shots fired, pursuits, bias-motivated crimes and gunpermits are published annually and reported to the FBIalong with the Minnesota Crime Statistics Report.Fingerprint Services – Fingerprint techniciansfingerprint individuals for background checks,immigration and adoption purposes, maintainfingerprint images stored in the Automated FingerprintIdentification System for future comparisons, processcriminal fingerprints, make identifications and forwarddata to the FBI for maintenance and comparison at thenational level.LiveScan technology allows for fingerprint images to betransmitted electronically to BCA for comparison withinminutes of a booking. The mobile Two-FingerIdentification System transmits fingerprintselectronically to the BCA. Search results are returnedto an officer on the street within minutes.Technical Support - The MNJIS Service Desk offerssupport in gaining access, trouble-shooting and othertechnical assistance to criminal justice practitionersstatewide.Auditing Criminal Justice Information Systems –Auditors ensure compliance with state and federal lawsand procedures and provide assistance regardingaccess, use and dissemination of criminal justiceinformation.Information Integration — Staff facilitates theintegration of Minnesota’s criminal justice informationsystems through agencies sharing critical information atkey decision points throughout the criminal justiceprocess. MNJIS has a major role in fosteringcollaboration among state and local criminal justiceagencies, providing the architecture systems andservices for the statewide aggregation and distributionof criminal justice information, developing technical andbusiness standards for criminal justice agencies tomodel, and providing financial and planning assistanceto local agencies for integration efforts.Drew Evans, Assistant SuperintendentFrank Dolejsi, DirectorInvestigative ServicesForensic Science ServicesTelephone: (651) 793-1108 Telephone: (651) 793-1008Dana Gotz, Executive DirectorJanell Rasmussen, DirectorMinnesota Justice Information ServicesAdministrative ServicesTelephone: (651) 793-1007 Telephone: (651) 793-1106