The Rhode Island Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (RILETS) Message Switcher, housed at the Rhode Island State Police (RISP) headquarters, is the foundation of J-Link. This critical component (supported with redirected Byrne grant funds from federal Fiscal Years 1992-1996) was completed in early March 1997. The RILETS will act as the conduit for the much of the planned J-Link data transmissions. It is capable of simultaneously processing 200 requests for information per second. It utilizes a new frame relay network and provides reliable, and nearly instantaneous access to the National Criminal Information Center (NCIC), the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS), the Interstate Identification Index (III), the RI Registry of Motor Vehicles, and the state's Bureau of Criminal Information (BCI) at the Attorney General's Office. A creative interim RILETS/WANG interface at BCI provides police officers with access to an offender's complete "rap sheet" in a few seconds.

Interfaces are underway to connect RILETS with the state’s new electronic Restraining Order/No Contact Order (RONCO) registry and the recently completed Probation and Parole tracking network.

After two years of operation, the new RILETS has proven to be a huge step forward in the goal to improve agencies’ access to criminal justice records and information and thus improve public safety. To date, the new RILETS and its interface with the state’s BCI has been responsible for an increase in arrests in over half of the police departments; prompted a dramatic increase in data requests; significantly reduced the time of roadside vehicle checks; and halved query time for nearly all departments. Over the next several years, RILETS will begin to handle transmission of digital fingerprints and mug shots as well.

The State Police has acquired 80 new computer workstations, and completed rewiring at various barracks and headquarters to create local and wide area networks to facilitate an automated Records Management System (RMS). An initial vendor selected to create the automated RMS failed to deliver a workable product. Subsequently, the State Police has contracted with the Massachusetts firm, IMC, which currently provides a RMS to the Massachusetts and New Hampshire State Police and nearly 70 percent of Rhode Island municipal police departments.