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Department of Justice

The Mission of the Justice Information Technology Services Division (JITSD) is to provide a secure, modern, cost effective and sustainable IT Infrastructure; ensuring law enforcement and public safety agencies have the resources necessary to serve and protect the the people of Montana and those who visit from across our great nation.

JITSD provides 24/7/365 support law enforcement and public safety agencies across Montana at all levels of government including the FBI, MDT, Courts, Corrections and Game Wardens. IT manages the systems, services, and interfaces to support over 1000 DOJ employees, 344 statewide county motor vehicle system users, over 3,000 Criminal Justice Information Network (CJIN) users across the state, and 226 contingent workers. DOJ also collaborates and works with many state agency interface partners such as SOS, HHS, Courts, FBI, NLETS, NCIC, FWP, MDT, & DOC.

Goals

Agency Goals and Objectives

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.

Objectives

  • Ensure that all IT functions and staff have redundancy in their knowledge and area of focus.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.
  • Eliminate silos from forming by implementing interdisciplinary teams.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.
  • Institute standards, policies, procedures, and processes that are consistent with current regulatory and industry guidelines.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.
  • Institute resource planning to ensure that workloads are achievable based on the staff resources available.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.

Objectives

  • Ensure that DOJ IT staff receive the necessary training to provide the high level of service expected by our customers.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.
  • Ensure that pay, work environment, and training are recognized as critical to the public safety mission of DOJ to avoid loss of experienced employees and costly retraining.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
Goal 4 - All enterprise products and services are widely leveraged to provide maximum benefit.

Objectives

  • Track all IT costs provided to all divisions to ensure that adequate resources are being allocated to those system needs before they become end of life.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
    Goal 4 - All enterprise products and services are widely leveraged to provide maximum benefit.
  • Establish long term capital replacement plan and funding sources for networks, servers, hardware, software, and desktop equipment.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
    Goal 4 - All enterprise products and services are widely leveraged to provide maximum benefit.
  • Implement a ticket tracking and customer service software solution.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.
Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.

Objectives

  • Inventory custom and COTS based software solutions in use by our customers.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
  • Train staff on newest best practices in assigned software development and support roles.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.
  • Arrange staff and roles to provide a holistic service of overlapping roles and skills.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.
  • Create application teams of overlapping roles, skills, and support basis to maximize communications and provide for better work life ratios.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.
Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
Goal 4 - All enterprise products and services are widely leveraged to provide maximum benefit.
Goal 5 - The State's information assets and citizens' data are protected.

Objectives

  • Implement a process for periodic review of applications, updates statuses, requirements, process, and plan.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
    Goal 4 - All enterprise products and services are widely leveraged to provide maximum benefit.
    Goal 5 - The State's information assets and citizens' data are protected.
  • Periodic review applications infrastructure use and future needs.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
    Goal 4 - All enterprise products and services are widely leveraged to provide maximum benefit.
  • Continual training in performance monitoring and tuning for database administrator team.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.

Objectives

  • Encourage clients and staff to search for, demonstrate, and test new ideas and solutions.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.
    Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
Goal 4 - All enterprise products and services are widely leveraged to provide maximum benefit.

Objectives

  • Search for and solve common recurring errors.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
  • Improve automated error discovery and communication to support teams.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
  • Improve communication within supported applications team and across other teams within ASB.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.

Objectives

  • Create integrated application teams with appropriate overlapping roles (Project Manager<-> Systems Analyst <-> Developer/Architects).
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 1 - An innovative workforce dedicated to reshaping the way IT Services are delivered.

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
Goal 4 - All enterprise products and services are widely leveraged to provide maximum benefit.
Goal 5 - The State's information assets and citizens' data are protected.

Objectives

  • Update or replace infrastructure equipment that is approaching or nearing its end of lifecycle. Updated infrastructure technology and ability to leverage new technologies for better integration with could services and platforms.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
    Goal 4 - All enterprise products and services are widely leveraged to provide maximum benefit.
    Goal 5 - The State's information assets and citizens' data are protected.
  • Consolidate and standardize technologies where possible to reduce costs, maintenance overhead, decrease complexity, and increase service uptime.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
    Goal 4 - All enterprise products and services are widely leveraged to provide maximum benefit.
  • Develop business processes to streamline and transition of new technology to end-users to increase productivity and meet new security standards.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
    Goal 5 - The State's information assets and citizens' data are protected.
  • Improve the lifecycle management process of technology from adoption to retirement.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
    Goal 5 - The State's information assets and citizens' data are protected.

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Goal 5 - The State's information assets and citizens' data are protected.

Objectives

  • Increase cyber security awareness for all DOJ employees via annual training program and providing weekly communication to DOJ users about the current cyber security landscape. DOJ security team members will participate in training based on their current roles on the team. To include but not limited to Forensics, Compliance, and Security Tools enhancement.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 5 - The State's information assets and citizens' data are protected.
  • Install advanced endpoint protection for users of DOJ systems, throughout the DOJ environment for monitoring of DOJ systems, and implement a Governance Risk Compliance (GRC) Tool to better ensure DOJ is staying in compliance with CJIS policy and NIST governance.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 5 - The State's information assets and citizens' data are protected.
  • Mitigate DOJ cyber security vulnerabilities by establishing Rapid 7 endpoint security and implement additional security tools to better enable JITSD to secure the environment.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 5 - The State's information assets and citizens' data are protected.
  • Improve cyber security situational awareness with DOJ partners, complete vendor management project for law enforcement user agencies or vendors and facilitate annual cyber training for user agencies and vendors. Continuing to better establish communication with intra-agency peers.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 5 - The State's information assets and citizens' data are protected.

State Strategic Plan Goal Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.

Objectives

  • Standardize Project Management fundamentals and processes to ensure consistency, alignment with agency goals and needs, and auditable measures for project success.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
  • Ongoing agency executive level collaboration and communication to ensure agency IT needs are met and align with goals, budget, and future planning.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
  • Collaboration between all Bureaus and Interdisciplinary teams to close gaps, create transparency, manage resources and work loads, and open lines of communication.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
  • Implement effective and enhanced Project Management templates, tools, reporting, and portfolio management software.
    State Strategic Plan Objective Reference: Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.

Information Technology Resources and Capabilities

Number of FTE: 21

The Business Bureau is comprised of two (2) sections, Software Development Section and the Project Management & Analyst Section. The Business Bureau focuses on the administrative functions of customer service, application support, planning, cost of service, process, procedure and policy development, project management, and training. The Business Bureau works with the Infrastructure Bureau & Interdisciplinary Teams to provide day to day support, planning and integration between systems, and customer service.

Number of FTE: 20

The Infrastructure Bureau is comprised of two (2) sections, Desktop Support Section and the Network Support Section. The Infrastructure Bureau focuses on the technical infrastructure needed to provide those services for public safety, business operations, law enforcement, investigations and analysis. This includes support of hardware and equipment, lab equipment, scanners, printers, smart phones, servers, networks and data. The Infrastructure Bureau works with the Business Bureau & Interdisciplinary Teams to provide day to day support, planning and integration between systems, and customer service.

Number of FTE: 4

The Information Security Team is responsible for all information security reviews, enforcement of security polices, review of security posture, and monitoring of all DOJ systems.

Number of FTE: 3

The Administrative & Procurement Team is responsible for leadership and management of the Division Vision, Mission, Goals, and Objectives as well as all IT financial matters and procurement processes.

Projects

Division AG
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives ESINet is the backbone of the Next Generation 911 (NG911) System. Public Safety agencies across the State of Montana can build services for more efficient and effective emergency response with an NG911 ESInet in place. ESInet is a reliable network to support and transport 911 calls to PSAPS creating a high level of accuracy and efficiency across emergency response organizations. This project will be performed in 3 Phases. Phase 1 & 2 - RFP was posted to procure a consultant to develop an RFP for ESInet services (phase 1). Included in the RFP was to procure a Project Manger to manage the ESInet Services Project (phase 2). Phase 3 - Consultant to complete RFP for ESInet Services project. Expected to have RFP done and posted by 10/1/22.
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
Estimated Start 5/27/2022 Estimated Delivery 6/1/2024
Estimated Cost 24300000 Comment Phase 1 & 2 RFP - $150,000 per year each phase, TCV $300,000.
Phase 3 - ESInet implementation estimated at 24M
HB 10 Request No Funding Sources State Special Revenue Funding: 24300000 - Comment: State 911 Funding
Annual Costs Upon Completion Comment No annual costs for Phase 1 & 2 contract services.
Phase 3 annual cost has not yet been determined until a contract is awarded.
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended. Phase 1 & 2 RFP plans to be posted by end of May 2022.

Division JITSD
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives The enterprise level storage, network, servers and software have reached the end of the technology lifecycle. Many of the technology solutions installed back in budget years 2012-2019 some of which is not functioning properly. Some of the systems/servers require new hardware while many only require a software refresh. The purpose of this project is to replace and upgrade outdated networking, storage, servers, and related software.
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
Estimated Start 7/1/2022 Estimated Delivery 7/1/2026
Estimated Cost 4000000 Comment
HB 10 Request No Funding Sources State: - Comment: Restricted: - Comment:
Annual Costs Upon Completion Comment Annual costs are limited to vendor and manufacture support paid through Operations Budget
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended. Finalizing assessment, project plan, & cost breakdown.

Division DOJ
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives This it replace outdated camera's, door access & key management systems that are at end of life for various divisions and buildings throughout the state with modernized equipment.
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Goal 5 - The State's information assets and citizens' data are protected
Estimated Start 7/1/2022 Estimated Delivery 7/1/2024
Estimated Cost Comment
HB 10 Request No Funding Sources Operating: - Comment:
Annual Costs Upon Completion Comment
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended. Finalizing assessment, project plan, & cost breakdown.

Division DCI
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives DCI will be applying for the NCHIP 2023 Grant for funding of eDispositions. eDispositions will create an automated data exchange between the courts system, Full Court Enterprises, and the CCH. This work will provide more accurate, timely, complete, and efficient criminal justice information sharing, these partners have strategically and systematically implemented projects to replace redundant, labor-intensive and error-prone paper processes with standardized, electronic criminal justice information systems. In addition, the grant will also procure a vendor for consulting services to do a full review of our current CCH system for a potential replacement.
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services
Estimated Start 10/1/2023 Estimated Delivery 10/1/2025
Estimated Cost Comment
HB 10 Request No Funding Sources NCHIP Grant: - Comment: State Match: - Comment:
Annual Costs Upon Completion Comment
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended. Grant application will be submitted by May 31, 2023.

Division MHP
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives MHP currently has approximately 260 Panasonic vehicle camera systems (Fleet) and does utilize Body Worn Camera systems (BWC). JITSD maintains 19 physical servers around the state and 1 VM for the Helena detachment at Fort Harrison for video archival. Each server is a separate entity. All maintenance, OS, SQL and software upgrades, and all configuration edits / updates must be completed separately on each server. MHP maintains 24 workstation computers, monitors, DVD burners / accessories and associated Back End Client software at offices around the state for the sole purpose of reviewing and making DVD copies of videos for case preparation and discovery to County Attorneys, etc. All current hardware is not covered by warranty and are seeing an increase in hardware failures. This RFI is to gather information to replace the current outdated and reduce the significant lift, time, money, and resources to manage the current fleet camera hardware with the addition of BWC component & crash/evidence/video repository, preferably by the same vendor.
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
Estimated Start Estimated Delivery
Estimated Cost Comment
HB 10 Request Funding Sources TBD: - Comment:
Annual Costs Upon Completion Comment
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended. Posting RFI June 2022 with anticipation to begin this project in 2023.

Division DCI
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives DCI is moving forward to acquire a Case Management System that will bring several investigative unit’s report documentation and management of those cases to the same platform. This will provide for uniformity of our investigative reports, uniformity of the secure distribution of those reports and analytical modules that support criminal investigations. Through the RFP process, vendor’s proposed solutions, presentations and research of their current customers, a decision will be made regarding the most stable, cost-efficient storage option.
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
Estimated Start 1/2/2023 Estimated Delivery 1/1/2024
Estimated Cost 200000 Comment
HB 10 Request No Funding Sources State: 230000 - Comment:
Annual Costs Upon Completion 30000 Comment
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended. Preparing an RFP.

Division MVD
Project / Program Purpose and Objectives The State of Montana, Motor Vehicle Division, (MVD), has had the MERLIN system since 2009. It is a system written in C# and Visual Basic (VB) and uses a State hosted SQL server database. MERLIN has 3 key components: Drivers (Driver’s Licenses, Permits, IDs, Commercial Credentials, Compliance and Investigation unit, and Driver Enforcement), Vehicles (Titles, Registrations, Liens, Fleet, Insurance Compliance, and Handicap Placards) and Finance (Point of Sale, General Ledger, Reporting, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, etc.). MERLIN also processes data from a large number of interfaces including AAMVA, Federal interfaces, State Agencies, Third party. MERLIN also interfaces to a third-party document management system for scanning and to Idemia for card production and photos. Montana implemented Real ID and uses central issuance for driving and ID credentials. There are approximately 650 users in 56 counties. This project is to replace the 13 year old MERLIN system to a modernized, efficient, and effective system to better serve the State of Montana. DOJ has completed procurement and will be contracting with FAST Inc. to replace the MERLIN system in two phases. Phase 1 will be the License side for drivers services. That is anticipated to be completed by June 2023. The second phase will be Vehicle side which is vehicle title and licenses. That will be complete by March, 2025.
State Strategic Plan Goal/Objective Reference Goal 2 - Strategic IT investment empowering delivery of citizen services.
Estimated Start 6/1/2022 Estimated Delivery 3/1/2025
Estimated Cost 35,000,000 Comment Estimated cost is for the COTS software build and implementation of both phases.
HB 10 Request Yes Funding Sources State: 40000000 - Comment: State Long Range Appropriation through HB 10 or through financing with the Montana Board of Investments.
Annual Costs Upon Completion 5000000 Comment 5M reflects a 5 year maintenance agreement including hosting, integration and disaster recovery.
Status of the project as of March 31, even numbered years. Indicate % completed and status of funds expended. RFP was submitted and award given in May. In contract negotiations, with development work to begin mid June 2022.

Summary of Hardware

I have reviewed all of my agency's systems in Assurance CM and certify that it is accurate: Yes

Total Number of Appliances 226
Total Number of Physical Servers 80
Total Number of Virtualized Servers 291
Total Usable Storage Space 780 TB
Device Type Quantity Estimated Replacement Value Comments
Mobile Devices 913 181687
Printers 375 210000
In-Car Routers 9 23400
Desktop/Laptops 1435 2152500
MHP Ruggedized Laptops 487 2922000
Security Cameras 88 88000
Door Security Controllers 5 12500
Drones 8 240000

Agency Contact Information

Agency Director / Administrator
Attorney General Austin Knudsen
406-444-2026
austin.knudsen@mt.gov
215 N Sanders, 3rd Floor PO Box 201401 Helena, MT 59620
IT Contact (CIO / IT Manager)
Michael Harris, CIO
406-438-1598
michael.harris@mt.gov
302 N Roberts St - Scott Hart 5th Floor PO Box 201405 Helena, MT 59620
Information Security Manager
Eric Tarr, ISO
406-437-8769
eric.tarr@mt.gov
302 N Roberts St - Scott Hart 5th Floor PO Box 201405 Helena, MT 59620