When the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) v6.0 in December 2024, it gave law enforcement agencies ample time to prepare for the new controls. Priority 2-4 controls aren’t being enforced until Oct. 1, 2027, meaning agencies still have months to prepare.
Unfortunately, law enforcement agencies don’t have as much time to prepare as they think. CJIS v6.0 is the biggest update in more than a decade, and agencies need to start moving towards compliance now before it’s too late.
The CJIS v6.0 update includes more than 1,300 subcontrols across 20 policy areas. Some of the biggest changes include:
Mandatory multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Any user accessing CJIS data must now use MFA when logging in to their system, requiring two distinct forms of verification
Supply chain risk management
Third-party vendors and contractors must be bound by the same security rules as internal staff.
Zero-Trust infrastructure
All users and devices must be continuously validated.
Continuous monitoring
Agencies must perform ongoing verification and maintain audit readiness, rather than relying on point-in-time compliance.
CJIS v6.0 is now aligned with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP 800-53, thereby matching federal standards.
Priority 2-4 controls are auditable and enforceable on Oct. 1, 2027. There is additional transition time included, meaning agencies must be fully compliant by the deadline.
October 2027 seems far away, but bringing your agency into compliance isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. With sweeping changes like this, police departments, sheriff’s offices, courts, and other agencies may need significant changes to comply with the v6.0 update.
CJIS remediations can take up to 12 months, meaning your deadline isn’t really October 2027 — it’s now.
It’s a lot easier to become compliant when you have a partner guiding you through the process. It starts with a gap assessment, where our team evaluates where you stand with Priority 2-4 controls and identifies what tools your agency has in place to help. We’ll then lay out a roadmap for your agency to follow that not only addresses CJIS v6.0, but evolves with future planned CJIS updates.
Law enforcement agencies face enough challenges — recruiting and retaining officers, tackling crime, and providing transparency — but CJIS compliance shouldn’t be one of them. You need a partner that will have your back while you handle the items your constituents care about.
Let Emergent be that partner. Connect with us today and see how our team can help your agency be its best.