Request For Acic "Hot File" Information Form printable pdf download

Release of Hot File Information from the ACIC System

Since the ACIC system was established in 1971, both state law and ACIC Supervisory Board policies have

restricted the release of information from the ACIC system to criminal justice officials, acting in their official

capacity, for criminal justice purposes. The ACIC Supervisory Board made the decision to allow criminal justice

officials, at their discretion, to release hot file information to the public. Hot file information is defined as stolen

property, wanted person, and missing person information from the ACIC and NCIC systems. It does not include

criminal history, vehicle registration, driver license or driver record, gang file, protection order, sex offender

registrations, terrorist file, and administrative message traffic. This information remains restricted to criminal

justice officials acting in their official capacity, for criminal justice purposes.

The ACIC Supervisory Board determined that it would be in the best interest of the people of Arkansas if an agency

could tell a concerned citizen if a piece of property is stolen or a person is wanted. This could potentially aid in the

recovery of stolen property and the apprehension of wanted persons. However, the potential also exists for this

information to be exploited and misused by some unscrupulous individuals. Some examples of how this

information could be misused follow:



A person could suspect that property which he or she is considering buying is stolen. If the person could

confirm that the property is in fact stolen, he or she would be in position to buy the property at a reduced price

and not notify law enforcement of the location of the property.



A thief could steal property, then later check to see if the property is entered in the system. If it isn’t entered,

he or she would know the property could be fenced at a higher price.



If a car thief could determine that a stolen car is not entered in the system, he or she could seek a lost title for

the car thereby increasing the potential resale value of the car.

Another potential problem is the stolen property and wanted person files are dynamic in nature. New records are

constantly being entered. The potential exists for a citizen to be told that a person is not wanted or property is not

stolen on one day, and the same person to be entered as wanted or property entered as stolen the next day.

Additionally, the fact that a person or item of property is not in ACIC or NCIC does not mean that the person is not

wanted or the property is not stolen. Many citizens would not understand these distinctions.

In an effort to provide quality service to the citizenry at large and to decrease liability risk to the criminal justice

community, at a minimum, the following procedures are required if the criminal justice agency chooses to release

hot file information:

1. All requests from citizens for information on wanted person or stolen property information must be submitted

to the agency on a form provided by ACIC or approved by ACIC.

2. Forms must include as much information as the requestor knows concerning the request.

3. All printouts associated with the request must be attached to the corresponding request form and kept on file by

the releasing agency for not less than one year. Printouts from the ACIC system must NOT be released to the

requestor.

4. Should a positive response to an inquiry on persons or property be received, the information should first be

referred to a law enforcement officer that can interview the requesting citizen for further information, which

could lead to the apprehension of the wanted person or recovery of the stolen property.

Arkansas Crime Information Center

7-18-00

Request For Acic "Hot File" Information Form