North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation

The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) is the statewide criminal investigative division of the North Dakota Attorney General's Office, based in Bismarck. Defined in state law as an assisting agency, the BCI stations agents in Bismarck and in field offices across North Dakota who help federal, state, county, and city law enforcement with major criminal and drug investigations. When a local department asks for help, that department remains the lead agency on the case, and charging decisions stay with the county state's attorney. BCI agents serve on the state's multi-jurisdictional narcotics task forces, conduct independent investigations of officer use of force at the request of local agencies, and staff a CyberCrime Unit that covers digital forensics, Internet Crimes Against Children, human trafficking, and victim services. The bureau is also North Dakota's central repository for criminal history records, maintains the sex offender registration system, and issues concealed weapon licenses. The BCI can be reached at (701) 328-5500, and tips can be reported to the BCI tip line at 1-800-472-2185 from within North Dakota.