ATF marks 10-year anniversary of Crime Gun Intelligence Governance Board

WASHINGTON - The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives concluded the semi-annual meeting of the National Crime Gun Intelligence Governance Board last week in Jacksonville, Florida, marking a decade of leading the nation's crime gun intelligence strategy.

Held Sept. 21-22, the two-day meeting convened federal, state, local, and county law enforcement executives, prosecutors, and forensic experts to discuss future enhancements to crime gun intelligence operations nationwide, which capitalize on the 10 years of progress that the board has set into motion.

Crime Gun Intelligence Centers are interagency collaborations between ATF, local police departments, crime laboratories, and federal and state prosecutors. CGICs leverage technology, intelligence, and forensic analysis to investigate gun crime, identify armed violent offenders, and dismantle illicit firearms supply chains.

The Crime Gun Intelligence Governance Board provides strategic direction, policy oversight, and best practices for the operation and expansion of Crime Gun Intelligence Centers and the use of Crime Gun Intelligence across the country. CGICs combine automated ballistic identification technology, such as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, with trace data, forensic analysis, and intelligence mapping to rapidly identify serial shooters, disrupt illegal firearms trafficking networks, and apprehend violent offenders.

"Crime gun intelligence works, and the proof is in the numbers," said ATF Director Rob Cekada. "As law enforcement increased NIBIN ballistics processing by over 13 percent last year, firearm-related crime dropped by 12 percent. The Governance Board has turned fired cartridge casings into actionable leads, empowering local, state, county and federal partners to stop retaliatory violence before it starts and keep our communities safe."

Today, 25 ATF Crime Gun Intelligence Centers operate nationwide, serving key metropolitan areas including Philadelphia, St. Louis, Louisville, Boston, Nashville, and Denver. These centers function as regional hubs for multi-agency collaboration, connecting local police departments, federal prosecutors, and crime laboratories to ensure evidence collected from crime scenes is analyzed rapidly to prevent retaliatory violence.

The Governance Board has led to advancements in forensic capabilities, including automated firearms tracing, streamlining evidence processing workflows, and establishing priority metrics to expand CGIC support to rural and mid-sized law enforcement partners. During the Jacksonville meeting, board members: evaluated crime gun intelligence resources available to law enforcement partners looking to develop or improve upon the use of CGI in their violent crime reduction strategy; discussed outreach to expand NIBIN in areas that did not have adequate coverage; and the employment of technological advancements to enhance efficiencies in the acquisition and correlation of ballistic evidence.

The Board meets twice annually to address emerging trends impacting national crime gun intelligence strategy. In-person meetings are hosted at the Board's dedicated facility on the Wichita State University campus, as well as in host cities nationwide like Jacksonville to support regional law enforcement collaboration.

For more information on ATF's Crime Gun Intelligence initiative and NIBIN technology, visit www.atf.gov.

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ATF protects American communities from violent crime driven by the illegal use of firearms, explosives, and acts of arson. Through crime gun intelligence, forensic analysis, and relentless investigation, we identify and arrest violent offenders and gang members, dismantle trafficking networks, and sever the supply chains arming cartels, prohibited persons, and terrorist organizations. We defend the rights of law-abiding citizens by safeguarding lawful commerce and upholding the Constitution of the United States. Learn more about what ATF is doing to reduce violent crime in your community by following us on X @ATFHQ, Instagram @ATFHQ, LinkedIn @ATF, and Facebook @HQATF, or on the web at www.atf.gov .