Question: What verison of RIMS do I need to be on in order to use NIBRS?
Answer: Version 27+
Question: Will RIMS be able to do both NIBRS and UCR going forward as required by DOJ?
Answer: No. Once the agency is live with NIBRS, UCR is disabled in RIMS.
Question: How are the statute tables updated to the new NIBRS codes? How does this impact our historical records? How will that affect other offenses we have added to our tables for local muni codes or agency specific report types we have added?
Answer: As part of the migration to NIBRS, Sun Ridge Systems will upload the the state provided spreadsheet containing Offense Codes, Offense Descriptions, Offense Classification/Level, and NIBRS Codes into a newly created NIBRS testing database. Existing offenses that do not match these values are marked as inactive in the database and replaced with the new codes. For local ordinances/resolutions, agencies are asked update the Offense Codes as “Municipal Codes” and to assign an appropriate NIBRS Code to each Offense.
Question: Will Sun Ridge Systems create the NIBRS database for the agency?
Answer: It is the agency’s responsibility to create the NIBRS testing database. In cases where agencies do not have the resources to do this, the system administrator can put in a special request to Sun Ridge Systems to create the testing database. For the state of California, there is no test database required. Once migrated to NIBRS, the agency submits information into the live repository.
Question: Is there a cost and if so, does the cost has to be paid in full?
Answer: There is a cost that will need to be paid in full prior to installation/migration. Please email to Tamera Melrose, Client Services Manager, tamera@sunridgesystems.com or Carol Jackson, Director of Implementation, at carolj@sunridgesystems.com for a quote.
Question: How will this look to the user? Will there be training?
Answer: Sun Ridge Systems will provide updated training documents and will provide “how to” training videos for users prior to and after ‘go-live’ of NIBRS.
Question: If a PO has been submitted, what are the next steps and when will the agency be slated for assistance/conversion?
Answer: For states where Sun Ridge Systems is still implementing NIBRS sites, each agency who submits a PO will be placed on a first come, first serve basis. Once selected testing sites are live, agencies who submitted POs will be implemented in order the PO was received. Sun Ridge Systems will give notice to these agencies so they can prepare. For agencies who have submitted a PO but are not prepared due to technical, staffing, or other issues will be placed at the bottom of the implementation list.
Question: For California IBRS (CIBRS), should Collision, Info, 5150 type codes as Muni codes as well?
Answer: Yes.
Question: With CIBRS, does the hierarchy rule apply or does California DOJ/FBI want all the cases reported?
Answer: No.
Question: Where do we send purchase orders?
Answer: Purchase orders can be emailed to Tamera Melrose, Client Services Manager, tamera@sunridgesystems.com or Carol Jackson, Director of Implementation, at carolj@sunridgesystems.com.
Question: Is there a point of contact for NIBRS issues or questions?
Answer: Yes. For additional questions or concerns, contact Ruby Stewart, Project services and Training Specialist, at ruby@sunridgesystems.com.
Question: Will specific NIBRS fields be mandatory in RIMS?
Answer: This depends on the NIBRS section in the RIMS Case Entry process. If a user fails to enter a data into a field that is mandatory RIMS will provide that error as part of the NIBRS error check process.
Question: Will the CIBRS data validation table be populated already for all agencies? Can we make CIBRS fields mandatory – agency configurable?
Answer: NIBRS values will be entered into the Data Validation Tables during the migration process by Sun Ridge Systems. These specific values cannot be changed by the agency.
Question: Does the clearance drop-down field on the Suspect Arrested screen to account for multiple suspects acting or not acting in concert?
Answer: This drop-down accounts for only the one suspect arrested for the given displayed record. Each arrested person needs to have
Question: Will the agency have to take multiple reports on the same incident if there are multiple suspects that did not act in concert in ALL reported offenses?
Answer: Yes.
Question: If a state statute does not exactly match a NIBRS Code, will the report reflect the NIBRS Code, thus show a different charge/outcome than what was reported?
Answer: This scenario should never present itself as the statutes and local ordinances are all updated with NIBRS codes during the migration from UCR to NIBRS.
Question: Since we are now reporting multiple offenses, will there be more than one case disposition reporting?
Answer: No. When the case is closed, there is only one case disposition sent to NIBRS.
Question: Is the ‘Repeat DV Offender’ state-specific?
Answer: Yes. This field is only used for states where this is required.
Question: With the three-month testing period for DOJ, when or how do we start that? Are we already behind schedule being that 2021 is in a couple of months?
Answer: Once a Purchase Order is received, your agency is placed on a list for agencies requiring migration to NIBRS. Once Sun Ridge Systems completes setting up NIBRS, the agency can start testing that data. There is currently no set schedule for deployment.
Question: Will it be possible to have the NIBRS/CIBRS screen automatically open from the Victim or Suspect screens?
Answer: No, because the information on the Page 1 screen needs to be collected first.
Question: Once everything is entered and the case is approved, does it get sent directly to DOJ or is there any flexibility if changes need to be made?
Answer: Your agency will submit NIBRS reports to DOJ each month. Any changes made to cases after the NIBRS report has been submitted to the state will be updated when the NIBRS report is resubmitted for following months.
Question: Can I add NIBRS codes to municipal offenses or county ordinances?
Answer: Yes. There is now an option to designate an offense or statute as a “Municipal” offense in RIMS. Each agency must decide what NIBRS value to assign to local offenses.
Question: Does the cost of NIBRS vary by an agency?
Answer: Generally, the cost is fixed based on the amount of work Sun Ridge staff must do to migrate data from UCR to NIBRS.
Question: Will historical cases be impacted by the migration?
Answer: No. Historical cases are preserved and offenses with UCR codes are marked ‘inactive’, not deleted.
Question: Will the three month submission mandate require consecutive month submission?
Answer: It is our understanding the submissions must be consecutive months.
Question: Will we continue submitting UCR reports while our agency is testing NIBRS?
California Answer: No. Once the agency has migrated to NIBRS the agency will no longer submit UCR.
Answer: Yes. NIBRS testing and migration is independent of UCR. Once the NIBRS migration is complete the agency will discontinue submitting UCR and start submitting NIBRS.
Question: For agencies who are set-up as multi-agency, will all agencies need to go to NIBRS at the same time or will they be able to migrate independent of each other?
Answer: All agencies configured as multi-agency will need to migrate to NIBRS at the same time.