Q1. What does TCIC stand for?
ANSWER Texas Crime Information Center.
Q2. What does TLETS stand for?
ANSWER Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunication System.
Q3. What agency operates TCIC/TLETS?
ANSWER The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).
Q4. What federal system is TCIC interfaced with?
ANSWER The National Crime Information Center (NCIC), operated by the
FBI.
Q5. What is the primary legal authority for TCIC?
ANSWER Texas Government Code, Chapter 411, Subchapter F.
Q6. What federal law governs access to criminal history records?
ANSWER The federal Privacy Act of 1974 and the National Crime Prevention
and Privacy Compact Act of 1998.
Q7. Who may access TCIC/TLETS data?
ANSWER Authorized criminal justice agencies and personnel with a
legitimate law enforcement or criminal justice need.
Q8. What is a 'criminal justice agency' as defined under TCIC policy?
ANSWER An agency that performs the administration of criminal justice and
has access to criminal history records as authorized by law.
Q9. What is the purpose of TLETS?
ANSWER To provide a communication network for the exchange of
information among criminal justice agencies in Texas.
Q10. What is the ORI?
ANSWER The Originating Agency Identifier — a unique code assigned to
each agency authorized to access NCIC/TCIC.
,Q11. Who assigns an ORI to an agency?
ANSWER The FBI assigns ORIs to agencies.
Q12. What must an agency do before accessing TCIC/TLETS?
ANSWER The agency must be authorized by DPS and have signed the
appropriate user agreements.
Q13. What is the Texas Privacy Act as it relates to criminal records?
ANSWER It restricts the dissemination of criminal history record information
to authorized persons for authorized purposes.
Q14. What is 'secondary dissemination'?
ANSWER Sharing TCIC/TLETS or NCIC information with another party after
receiving it from the system.
Q15. Is secondary dissemination allowed?
ANSWER Only to authorized criminal justice agencies or as permitted by law;
it must be documented.
Q16. What is the NCIC Operating Manual?
ANSWER The official guide published by the FBI that governs policies,
procedures, and technical requirements for NCIC use.
Q17. How often must TCIC/TLETS operators be re-certified?
ANSWER Every two years.
Q18. What is the consequence of unauthorized access to TCIC/TLETS?
ANSWER Criminal penalties, civil liability, termination of employment, and
loss of agency access.
Q19. What federal law prohibits misuse of NCIC data?
ANSWER Title 28, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 20.
Q20. What is Title 28 CFR Part 20?
ANSWER Federal regulations governing criminal justice information systems,
including dissemination and security of records.
Q21. What is the purpose of re-certification for mobile access operators?
ANSWER To ensure operators remain current on laws, policies, and proper
use of TCIC/TLETS from mobile devices.
Q22. Who is responsible for ensuring their personnel are trained and
certified?
ANSWER The agency head or designee.
, Q23. What must an agency do if an employee's access is terminated?
ANSWER Immediately notify DPS and revoke the individual's access
credentials.
Q24. What is a 'hot file'?
ANSWER Active records in NCIC/TCIC such as wanted persons, stolen
vehicles, and missing persons.
Q25. What are the main files available through TCIC?
ANSWER Wanted persons, missing persons, stolen vehicles, stolen property,
protective orders, sex offenders, and others.
Q26. What is the difference between TCIC and NCIC?
ANSWER TCIC is the Texas state system; NCIC is the national FBI system.
TCIC is interfaced with NCIC.
Q27. Can non-criminal justice agencies access TCIC/TLETS?
ANSWER Only if specifically authorized by law, such as certain licensing and
screening purposes.
Q28. What is the Texas Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program's
relationship to TCIC?
ANSWER UCR data is submitted through DPS but is a separate reporting
program from the TCIC hot files.
Q29. What does 'hit' mean in TCIC/TLETS terminology?
ANSWER A positive match returned when a query finds an active record in
the system.
Q30. What must an officer do when a 'hit' is returned?
ANSWER Verify the record with the entering agency before taking action,
following the hit confirmation process.
SECTION 2: Mobile Access Rules & Security (Q31–70)
Q31. What is mobile access in the context of TCIC/TLETS?
ANSWER Accessing TCIC/TLETS data from a portable device such as a
laptop, tablet, or in-car terminal (MCT/MDT).
Q32. What does MCT stand for?
ANSWER Mobile Computer Terminal.
Q33. What does MDT stand for?
ANSWER Mobile Data Terminal.
ANSWER Texas Crime Information Center.
Q2. What does TLETS stand for?
ANSWER Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunication System.
Q3. What agency operates TCIC/TLETS?
ANSWER The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).
Q4. What federal system is TCIC interfaced with?
ANSWER The National Crime Information Center (NCIC), operated by the
FBI.
Q5. What is the primary legal authority for TCIC?
ANSWER Texas Government Code, Chapter 411, Subchapter F.
Q6. What federal law governs access to criminal history records?
ANSWER The federal Privacy Act of 1974 and the National Crime Prevention
and Privacy Compact Act of 1998.
Q7. Who may access TCIC/TLETS data?
ANSWER Authorized criminal justice agencies and personnel with a
legitimate law enforcement or criminal justice need.
Q8. What is a 'criminal justice agency' as defined under TCIC policy?
ANSWER An agency that performs the administration of criminal justice and
has access to criminal history records as authorized by law.
Q9. What is the purpose of TLETS?
ANSWER To provide a communication network for the exchange of
information among criminal justice agencies in Texas.
Q10. What is the ORI?
ANSWER The Originating Agency Identifier — a unique code assigned to
each agency authorized to access NCIC/TCIC.
,Q11. Who assigns an ORI to an agency?
ANSWER The FBI assigns ORIs to agencies.
Q12. What must an agency do before accessing TCIC/TLETS?
ANSWER The agency must be authorized by DPS and have signed the
appropriate user agreements.
Q13. What is the Texas Privacy Act as it relates to criminal records?
ANSWER It restricts the dissemination of criminal history record information
to authorized persons for authorized purposes.
Q14. What is 'secondary dissemination'?
ANSWER Sharing TCIC/TLETS or NCIC information with another party after
receiving it from the system.
Q15. Is secondary dissemination allowed?
ANSWER Only to authorized criminal justice agencies or as permitted by law;
it must be documented.
Q16. What is the NCIC Operating Manual?
ANSWER The official guide published by the FBI that governs policies,
procedures, and technical requirements for NCIC use.
Q17. How often must TCIC/TLETS operators be re-certified?
ANSWER Every two years.
Q18. What is the consequence of unauthorized access to TCIC/TLETS?
ANSWER Criminal penalties, civil liability, termination of employment, and
loss of agency access.
Q19. What federal law prohibits misuse of NCIC data?
ANSWER Title 28, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 20.
Q20. What is Title 28 CFR Part 20?
ANSWER Federal regulations governing criminal justice information systems,
including dissemination and security of records.
Q21. What is the purpose of re-certification for mobile access operators?
ANSWER To ensure operators remain current on laws, policies, and proper
use of TCIC/TLETS from mobile devices.
Q22. Who is responsible for ensuring their personnel are trained and
certified?
ANSWER The agency head or designee.
, Q23. What must an agency do if an employee's access is terminated?
ANSWER Immediately notify DPS and revoke the individual's access
credentials.
Q24. What is a 'hot file'?
ANSWER Active records in NCIC/TCIC such as wanted persons, stolen
vehicles, and missing persons.
Q25. What are the main files available through TCIC?
ANSWER Wanted persons, missing persons, stolen vehicles, stolen property,
protective orders, sex offenders, and others.
Q26. What is the difference between TCIC and NCIC?
ANSWER TCIC is the Texas state system; NCIC is the national FBI system.
TCIC is interfaced with NCIC.
Q27. Can non-criminal justice agencies access TCIC/TLETS?
ANSWER Only if specifically authorized by law, such as certain licensing and
screening purposes.
Q28. What is the Texas Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program's
relationship to TCIC?
ANSWER UCR data is submitted through DPS but is a separate reporting
program from the TCIC hot files.
Q29. What does 'hit' mean in TCIC/TLETS terminology?
ANSWER A positive match returned when a query finds an active record in
the system.
Q30. What must an officer do when a 'hit' is returned?
ANSWER Verify the record with the entering agency before taking action,
following the hit confirmation process.
SECTION 2: Mobile Access Rules & Security (Q31–70)
Q31. What is mobile access in the context of TCIC/TLETS?
ANSWER Accessing TCIC/TLETS data from a portable device such as a
laptop, tablet, or in-car terminal (MCT/MDT).
Q32. What does MCT stand for?
ANSWER Mobile Computer Terminal.
Q33. What does MDT stand for?
ANSWER Mobile Data Terminal.
