Whereas the Department of Justice’s Law Enforcement Assistance Administration created SEARCH in 1969 as a 10-State project to demonstrate whether it was feasible to exchange criminal history records on an automated and nationwide basis; Whereas SEARCH not only demonstrated the feasibility of an automated nationwide system of sharing criminal records, but also, through partnership with the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, State agencies and other organizations, helped to establish the national criminal history record information system; Whereas SEARCH is a nonprofit organization created by and for the States, governed by a Membership Group comprised of one gubernatorial appointee from each of the States and territories; Whereas SEARCH’s guiding vision is to ensure Accurate and timely information, supported by well-deployed information and identification technology, enables the justice and public safety decision-maker to administer justice in a manner that promotes individual rights and public safety ; Whereas SEARCH provides training and technical assistance to help the criminal justice community combat high-technology crimes, gather valuable information in investigations, and link the Nation’s law enforcement agencies through policy and technical solutions; Whereas SEARCH helps agencies effectively implement information sharing technology to make accurate, more informed, immediate, and appropriately secured decisions about criminal justice and security issues, and to administer justice in an efficient and effective manner; Whereas SEARCH has pioneered the development of both technology and policy solutions for justice implementation of biometric technologies, thereby enabling electronic fingerprints to become a rapid, reliable, and cost-effective identification authentication process and further supporting information sharing and collaboration among and between agencies