Technology Talk: Got NIBRS? Finding Efficiencies and Funding to Support Your Agency’s Transition

Many, if not all, law enforcement leaders are aware that the FBI is retiring the Summary Reporting System (SRS) of the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program soon. On January 1, 2021, the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) will be the crime data standard for the United States. This transition to NIBRS-only crime reporting will create exciting new local, regional, state, and national crime reporting and analysis opportunities that have not been possible under the SRS. For an example of this type of analysis opportunity, see the Research in Brief in this issue of Police Chief entitled “Leveraging NIBRS to Better Understand Sexual Violence” (pages 16–18). Currently, just over 40 percent of law enforcement agencies across the United States report NIBRS data to the FBI, with new agencies transitioning to NIBRS each month.