Bureau of Criminal Identification

Bureau of Criminal Identification

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The Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) of the Essex County Sheriff's Office is an important component of the criminal justice system. The BCI collects and stores an array of information used to identify and apprehend individuals under investigation or wanted for arrest. All persons who enter the Essex County Correctional Facility are fingerprinted and photographed as part of a booking process. The fingerprints and photographs are stored along with additional background data on persons arrested or accused of committing criminal offenses.

In addition to arrested persons, the BCI processes individuals who are under indictment, or convicted of crimes and other offenses. Through this booking process, the Sheriff’s BCI has developed an extensive database of identification and background information. This information is shared with other law enforcement agencies investigating criminal activity, identifying suspects and apprehending wanted persons.

The BCI is also the point of contact for the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS). The CJIS is a law enforcement network of computerized databases and communications. Through this on-line system, law enforcement can communicate information among agencies such as high-profile arrests, wanted persons, missing children and threats to the law enforcement community as well as the general public.

The Sheriff’s Office Central Communications is also under the Command of the BCI. All field operations are directed and monitored from Central Communications. In addition, the Sheriff’s Office monitors other frequencies, such as the County Parks Commission, County Fire Coordinator, the State Police Emergency Network, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. The BCI operates on a 24-hour, 7-day per week basis.

The BCI consists of the following sections:

Click on a link below to learn more about the sections of the BCI.