INFORMATION SHARING AMONG LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

            WHEREAS,  the sharing of criminal justice information between law enforcement and criminal justice agencies has improved substantially since September 11; and

            WHEREAS, information sharing among federal, state, county, and other local law enforcement and criminal justice agencies should be the rule and not the exception; and

            WHEREAS, in order for law enforcement agencies to share information, contracts are required that provide liability protections to each agency as well as security and verification commitments; and

            WHEREAS, it can take months, sometimes years, to execute a memorandum of understanding between two law enforcement agencies; and

            WHEREAS, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Justice Information Services Division, developed a strict Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Policy to control the exchange of information among participating agencies,

            NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The United States Conference of Mayors supports policy stating that no law enforcement or criminal justice agency that adheres to the requirements contained within the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Security Policy shall suffer liability for sharing verified criminal justice information for a criminal justice purpose.