National Threat Operations Center Helps Protect the Public

March 28, 2025

The National Threat Operations Center (NTOC) is the FBI’s point of contact for members of the public to submit tips concerning federal crimes and violations. In cases where tip information provided to NTOC lacks a federal nexus, NTOC supports law enforcement and public safety through information sharing initiatives with state and local law enforcement agencies. The tips more appropriately addressed by state or local law enforcement can be shared through the National Data Exchange, the International Justice and Public Safety Network (Nlets), and Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs).

To submit tips, members of the public can call 1-800-CALL-FBI or use the FBI’s tip portal at tips.fbi.gov. In fiscal year 2024, the NTOC received more than 1.6 million e-tips and calls. High-profile incidents or FBI public announcements about cases can drive increases in the number of tips received daily.

Callers sometimes express or report a threat-to-life (TTL), which is any tip that contains information of a threat to human life or any threat of serious bodily injury or significant violent action. Examples of TTLs can include, but are not limited to, mass shooting threats and specific violent threats against law enforcement officers.

When NTOC receives a tip containing a TTL that does not contain a federal nexus, NTOC can route the information to the appropriate fusion center if the field office and fusion center participate in the Dual Route Initiative. The corresponding FBI field office receives a copy of the TTL information. In cases of TTLs with a federal nexus, that report will be forwarded directly to the FBI field office. When FBI field offices and state fusion centers are not participating in the initiative, the information is sent to the jurisdictional FBI field office, where it is forwarded or actioned appropriately. When sharing information about TTLs, a report is drafted, and NTOC personnel call the appropriate fusion center or field office to communicate about the urgency of the circumstances and those involved.

NTOC examiners are trained to evaluate tips for relevance to federal, state, and local law enforcement concerns. Depending on the tip information, NTOC examiners may determine that sharing the tip information with the following entities is appropriate:

  • FBI field offices
  • Other federal agencies
  • State and local law enforcement agencies
  • Participating state fusion centers

As of February 2024, NTOC provided tips more appropriately handled by state and local law enforcement agencies to all 50 states via Nlets administrative messages. States can choose how to disseminate the tip information by selecting one of the following methods:

  • Directly to local criminal justice agencies
  • To a state fusion center for dissemination
  • To criminal justice agencies with a copy to the fusion center

If a caller expresses distress that is not an emergency, NTOC personnel can ask for the caller’s consent to transfer the call to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In an immediate crisis, such as if a caller expresses threats or suicidal ideations, NTOC personnel can contact the appropriate PSAP where the caller is located. Local authorities can then act on this information as appropriate; for example, by performing a welfare check on the individual.

The public can find more information about NTOC in:

Using the E-Tip form, members of the public can choose to report a tip related to a variety of federal crimes:

  • Civil rights violations, including human trafficking, hate crime, and color of law offenses
  • Corruption, including corrupt activities in a prison
  • Counterintelligence matters, including espionage (including economic espionage) and counterintelligence activities
  • Counterterrorism matters, including terrorism, radicalization, and weapons of mass destruction
  • Crimes against children, including child pornography, child abduction, and sexual exploitation of a minor
  • Cybercrimes, including email spoofing, email system compromise, identity theft, computer intrusion, and ransomware
  • Federal election crimes, including civil rights violations, campaign finance violations, and ballot or voter fraud
  • Financial/economic crimes and fraud, including financial institution fraud, investment fraud, insurance fraud, mortgage fraud, and money laundering
  • Fugitives from justice
  • Violent crimes, including drug trafficking, bank robbery, active shooters, threatening communications, and murder for hire
  • Other types of federal crimes, including some that NTOC may define additional distinct categories for

On the portal for the E-Tip page, users can find links to reporting sites for the:

  • Drug Enforcement Administration
  • Department of Homeland Security
  • Internet Crime Complaint Center
  • Department of Justice Antitrust Division
  • Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
  • National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

The NTOC appreciates and values its relationships with criminal justice partners and their collaboration to protect the public.

Return to CJIS Link Home