ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska is proud to announce that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) awarded over $3.3 million in grants to the Alaska Department of Public Safety to improve criminal records systems.

OJP awarded roughly $1.8 million through the FY2023 National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program, and $1.5 million through the FY2023 National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP).

The funds from the NCHIP will help DPS and the Alaska Court System continue to work together, ensuring that the state’s criminal history repository is accurate and complete. The grant will also help fund the replacement of Alaska’s outdated mainframe repository, known as the Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN), with a new repository that will improve service to Alaska’s law enforcement officers and dispatchers.

The funds from the NICS Act Record Improvement Program will help DPS keep Alaska’s contributions to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System accurate and up to date. This ensures that Alaskans without federal disqualifying criminal convictions can purchase firearms at legal gun sale locations in a timely manner.

“We are proud to announce this funding for the Alaska Department of Public Safety as it helps state law enforcement continue to improve their systems and responses,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Working with state and local law enforcement to improve public safety in Alaska is one of our main priorities, and these funds are just a small portion of our continued collaboration to keep our communities safe and serve the people of Alaska.”

“This federal funding will ensure that Alaska’s criminal records systems are accurate and available to serve both Alaskans and our law enforcement officers across the state,” said Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James Cockrell. “The investments enabled by these grants will keep our state on the cutting edge of technology, while protecting Alaskans’ U.S. and state constitutional rights.”

OJP provides federal leadership, grants, training, technical assistance and other resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, advance equity and fairness in the administration of justice, assist victims and uphold the rule of law. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.

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