Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Glendale, Calif. – Homicides can be solved by law enforcement following up on intelligence information gleaned from the firearms casings left at a crime scene. Each casing is like a fingerprint for a firearm. Non-fatal shootings and homicides throughout Southern California are being linked by the ballistic imaging technology of these casings using the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) program called the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).

     WHO:  ATF, Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (L.A. IMPACT), and Glendale Police Department

     WHAT:  ATF is teaming up with L.A. IMPACT and Glendale PD to host a range day where between 150 to 250 crime guns will be test-fired, the casings will be collected, and ATF will then add their images to NIBIN. The images will be compared to other casings collected at other crime scenes via the network. Law enforcement can search against evidence from their jurisdiction, neighboring ones, and others across the country. ATF offers this program as an investigative tool for law enforcement to share information and help to arrest and prosecute shooters.

     WHERE:  Glendale PD Gun Range

     WHEN:  Friday, June 30, 10 to 11:30 a.m. 

Please RSVP by June 29, 6 p.m. to Ginger Colbrun at ATF’s Los Angeles Field Division by sending an email to ginger.colbrun@atf.gov . Media will meet at a different location and will be escorted to the range at 10 a.m. A map will be sent via email.

NIBIN Program
ATF’s NIBIN program automates ballistics evaluations and provides actionable investigative leads in a timely manner. NIBIN is the only interstate automated ballistic imaging network in operation and is available to most major population centers in the United States.

Since the program’s inception in 1999, NIBIN partners have captured approximately 2.8 million images of ballistic evidence and confirmed more than 74,000 NIBIN hits, but the true performance metric of NIBIN is the successful arrest and prosecution of shooters.

ATF works with law enforcement partners to place the capabilities of NIBIN where it can help incarcerate armed violent offenders plaguing our communities. Today, ATF has the capability to share ballistics intelligence across the United States making law enforcement resources more effective.
 

L.A. IMPACT
Inaugurated in July 1991, the L.A. IMPACT is a task force made up of more than 50 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles County whose primary focus is to investigate major crimes, with an emphasis on dismantling mid- to major-level drug trafficking organizations.

L.A. IMPACT’s primary area of expertise is narcotic enforcement. The task force is known for its surveillance capabilities and possesses some of the most extensive surveillance resources in California. The enforcement groups have specialized proficiency in the following areas: major drug trafficking organizations, money laundering, covert operations/informant development, clandestine laboratory investigations, parcel interdiction and gang enforcement. L.A. IMPACT is the primary clandestine laboratory response team for Los Angeles County.

Collaboration
Since firearms are often used in drug trafficking related violence it was natural for ATF to join forces and share information with L.A. IMPACT. Glendale PD is providing its range and range resources to assist in this law enforcement collaboration to help solve more gun crimes in our communities. In a time with lean budgets, and diminishing resources, yet increasing gun crime, law enforcement agencies are combining efforts and working jointly to target these violent criminals to make our communities safer.