The mission of the Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS) Program is to assist local, state, federal, and tribal criminal justice partners by providing adaptive solutions and services that facilitate information sharing, support criminal investigations, and promote officer safety. RISS has been supporting the law enforcement and criminal justice communities for more than 40 years.

RISS is composed of six regional centers and the RISS Technology Support Center (RTSC). RISS works regionally and on a nationwide basis to respond to the unique crime problems of each region while strengthening the country’s information sharing environment. More than 9,400 local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement and public safety agencies are members of RISS. RISS is used and trusted by hundreds of thousands of law enforcement officers and criminal justice professionals in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, England, New Zealand, and parts of Canada.

RISS offers secure information sharing and communications capabilities, critical analytical and investigative support services, and event deconfliction to enhance officer safety. RISS supports efforts against organized and violent crime, gang activity, drug activity, terrorism and violent extremism, human trafficking, identity theft, cybercrime, and other regional priorities.

Congress appropriates funds each year for RISS. The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), U.S. Department of Justice, administers the RISS Program. BJA provides funding oversight and program management for the RISS Program. Although RISS is congressionally funded, it is locally managed. RISS also partners with other entities on projects that help support and further the RISS mission.

The RISS Centers operate their intelligence system under the Criminal Intelligence Systems Operating Policies (28 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Part 23). All RISS member agencies have agreed to comply with the requirements of 28 CFR Part 23 with respect to any criminal information they submit into an applicable RISS Criminal Intelligence Database (RISSIntel). RISS has adopted a comprehensive privacy policy to protect individual privacy, civil rights, civil liberties, and other protected interests.

RISS also developed the RISS Adaptive Strategy, which defines RISS’s mission, vision, values, and primary goals and objectives.