NCIC Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC) Roles and Audit Responsibilities 2 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: What is the primary role of the Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC) within a law enforcement agency?

To personally enter all NCIC records on behalf of the agency
To serve as the agency's point of contact with the CJIS Systems Agency and ensure compliance with all NCIC and CJIS security policies (Correct answer)
To conduct criminal investigations using NCIC data
To act as the agency's IT director for all computer systems

Correct answer: To serve as the agency's point of contact with the CJIS Systems Agency and ensure compliance with all NCIC and CJIS security policies

The TAC serves as the agency's liaison to the CJIS Systems Agency and is responsible for ensuring the agency's compliance with all NCIC policies and CJIS Security Policy requirements.

The Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC) is a designated individual within each NCIC-participating agency who bears responsibility for the agency's overall NCIC and CJIS compliance. The TAC's primary duties include: serving as the primary liaison with the CJIS Systems Agency (CSA) for NCIC policy questions and access management; ensuring all personnel with NCIC access receive required training and that training is documented; conducting periodic internal audits of NCIC use; maintaining agency security documentation; reporting security incidents to the CSA; and staying current on NCIC policy updates and communicating them to agency personnel. The TAC is a critical position — the quality of an agency's NCIC compliance is directly tied to the TAC's effectiveness.

Question 2: How often must the TAC conduct internal audits of the agency's NCIC records and usage?

Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Annually or more frequently as directed by the CSA (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Annually or more frequently as directed by the CSA

TACs must conduct internal audits of NCIC records and usage at least annually, and more frequently if directed by the CJIS Systems Agency or if compliance concerns arise.

NCIC policy requires TACs to conduct periodic internal audits of the agency's NCIC records and transaction logs to identify compliance issues before formal CJIS audits. At minimum, these internal audits should occur annually and should review: active records for accuracy and timeliness of validation; recently cancelled records to ensure prompt cancellation; transaction logs for inappropriate access patterns or 'browsing'; training records to ensure all personnel are current; and security configurations for terminals and access controls. The CSA may direct more frequent internal audits if the agency has had previous compliance findings. The results of internal audits should be documented and any deficiencies corrected promptly.

Question 3: When a TAC discovers that an officer has been running personal NCIC queries, what must the TAC do?

Verbally warn the officer and monitor for recurrence
Immediately suspend the officer's NCIC access, document the incident, report it to the CSA, and ensure appropriate disciplinary action is initiated (Correct answer)
Allow the agency head to decide what action to take without any formal reporting
Document the incident in the officer's personnel file only

Correct answer: Immediately suspend the officer's NCIC access, document the incident, report it to the CSA, and ensure appropriate disciplinary action is initiated

The TAC must immediately suspend the officer's NCIC access, document the incident, report it to the CSA as a security incident, and ensure that appropriate disciplinary and corrective actions are taken.

When a TAC identifies inappropriate NCIC access — such as an officer running personal queries — the response must be swift and documented. The TAC must: (1) immediately suspend the offending individual's NCIC access to stop the violation from continuing; (2) document the specific violations discovered including dates, transaction logs, and the nature of the inappropriate access; (3) report the security incident to the CJIS Systems Agency, as required by CJIS Security Policy; (4) brief agency leadership and initiate the agency's disciplinary process; and (5) implement additional monitoring or security measures as appropriate. A quiet internal resolution without CSA notification violates reporting requirements and could implicate the TAC in a cover-up.

Question 4: What training requirement must the TAC themselves meet to perform their responsibilities effectively?

TACs are exempt from training requirements since they administer training for others
TACs must complete the same NCIC operator training as all other personnel plus additional TAC-specific training on compliance and security management (Correct answer)
TACs only need to complete an online orientation course
TACs must have a law enforcement credential but no specific NCIC training is required

Correct answer: TACs must complete the same NCIC operator training as all other personnel plus additional TAC-specific training on compliance and security management

TACs must complete standard NCIC operator training plus additional TAC-specific training covering compliance, security policy, audit responsibilities, and security management.

Terminal Agency Coordinators must be thoroughly trained in NCIC policies and the CJIS Security Policy, as their role requires comprehensive knowledge to effectively guide, audit, and correct the agency's compliance posture. TACs are required to complete standard NCIC operator training (so they understand the operational aspects of the system) plus additional TAC-specific training on security policy compliance, audit procedures, incident reporting, access management, and physical security requirements. The FBI CJIS Division provides TAC-specific training resources through the CJIS online training portal. A TAC who lacks comprehensive knowledge cannot effectively identify compliance issues or provide accurate guidance to agency personnel.

Question 5: What is the TAC's responsibility when a new employee joins the agency and requires NCIC access?

The TAC activates NCIC access immediately upon the employee's hire date
The TAC ensures the employee completes required training, signs user agreements, undergoes background screening, and receives access only after all prerequisites are met (Correct answer)
The new employee must apply directly to the FBI CJIS Division for access
The TAC's role is limited to entering the new employee's name in the access log

Correct answer: The TAC ensures the employee completes required training, signs user agreements, undergoes background screening, and receives access only after all prerequisites are met

Before activating NCIC access for new personnel, the TAC must ensure they complete required training, sign user agreements, undergo appropriate background screening, and meet all other access prerequisites.

The TAC manages the complete onboarding process for personnel requiring NCIC access. This includes: verifying that the new employee has completed all required NCIC training appropriate to their access level; ensuring the employee has signed the required NCIC user acknowledgment agreement; confirming that the individual has undergone and passed the required background screening (CJIS Security Policy requires personnel security screening for all individuals with access to Criminal Justice Information); and activating the employee's NCIC access only after all prerequisites are verified and documented. The TAC maintains records of these steps for audit purposes. Granting access before prerequisites are complete is a compliance violation that reflects directly on the TAC.

Question 6: How does the TAC prepare the agency for a formal CJIS triennial audit?

By temporarily restricting NCIC access to senior staff only during the audit period
By conducting pre-audit internal reviews, ensuring all documentation is current and accessible, and briefing agency leadership on expected audit scope (Correct answer)
By submitting a self-certification of compliance to the FBI CJIS Division 90 days before the audit
By requesting a postponement until all compliance issues are resolved

Correct answer: By conducting pre-audit internal reviews, ensuring all documentation is current and accessible, and briefing agency leadership on expected audit scope

The TAC prepares for formal audits by conducting internal pre-audit reviews, organizing required documentation, and briefing leadership — ensuring the agency can demonstrate compliance through evidence.

A well-prepared TAC will conduct a comprehensive pre-audit internal review well in advance of the formal triennial CJIS audit. This preparation includes: reviewing all active NCIC records for accuracy and validation timeliness; auditing transaction logs for any compliance issues that need to be addressed before the audit; organizing training records, user agreements, background screening documentation, and security assessment results; briefing agency leadership on the expected scope of the audit and any areas of concern; and potentially consulting with the CSA about common audit findings and best practices. Agencies that conduct thorough pre-audit preparation typically perform significantly better in formal audits and are less likely to face significant corrective action requirements.

NCIC Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC) Roles and Audit Responsibilities 2

What is the primary role of the Terminal Agency Coordinator (TAC) within a law enforcement agency?