The National Crime Gun Intelligence Center Initiative
A project of the National Resource and Technical Assistance Center for Improving Law Enforcement Investigations (NRTAC)
The National Crime Gun Intelligence Center Initiative supports local multidisciplinary teams in their efforts to prevent violent crime by identifying perpetrators, linking criminal activities, and identifying sources of crime guns for immediate disruption, investigation, and prosecution.
These efforts and others are all components of Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGICs), an innovative and collaborative concept developed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
What is a Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC)?
CGICs are an interagency collaboration focused on the immediate collection, management, and analysis of crime gun evidence, such as shell casings, in real time, in an effort to identify shooters, disrupt criminal activity, and to prevent future violence. CGICs rely on an ongoing collaboration between the ATF, local police department, the local crime laboratory, probation and parole, local police gang units, prosecuting attorneys, U.S. Attorney’s Office, crime analysts, community groups, and academic organizations.
The primary outcome of a CGIC is the identification of armed violent offenders for investigation and prosecution. Other outcomes include the identification of crime gun sources, efficient resource allocation, providing decision makers with the most accurate crime data available, and increasing case closure rates, public safety, and the prevention of violent crime committed with firearms.
This program is based on the ATF Governing Board’s CGIC best practices, coupled with proactive law enforcement practices that provide timely ballistics and other relevant real-time investigative leads in an effort to identify shooters, particularly those worthy of state and/or federal prosecution. Paired with effective evidenced-based interventions such as Focused Deterrence and Hotspot Policing, these initiatives aim to decrease the incidences of gun crime; improve gun crime investigation, clearance rates, and prosecutorial outcomes; and increase public trust and confidence in law enforcement through effective community engagement.
To view the ATF Governing Board’s CGIC Best Practices Guide, click here.
To view a one-pager on the CGIC concept, click here.
For more information, go to the CGIC Concept page.
Crime Gun Intelligence Center Initiative — The evolution of NIBIN and CGIC as an investigative tool to target gun crimes by using real-time forensic ballistic information to connect gunshot incidents.
News and Events
NEW CGIC Evaluations
- Click here to view a summary of successess for the Milwaukee WI, Los Angeles CA, and Washington DC Crime Gun Intelligence Centers.
- Click here to view the evaluation of Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center by Vicky Mei , Felix Owusu, Sam Quinney, Anita Ravishankar, and Daniel Sebastian.
- Click here to view the evaluation of Los Angeles Police Department’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center by Craig D. Uchida, PH.D., Allison Quigley, M.S., & Kyle Anderson, M.S.
- Click here to view the evaluation of Milwaukee’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center by Christopher Koper, Heather Vovak, and Brett Cowell
RECENT Webinars
- Click here to view a recent webinar on Cold Case Solvability and Using Science in Investigations.
- Click here to view a recent CGIC 2019 Solicitation Informational Webinar.
New CGIC & Investigative Resources:
- Click here
to view NIJ’s report to Congress on the DOJ Needs Assessment of Forensic Laboratories and Medical Examiner/Coroner Offices . - Evaluation of Los Angeles Police Department’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center
- Evaluation of Milwaukee Police Department’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center
- The Phoenix Crime Gun Intelligence Unit (CGIU)Timeline of Events in the Homicide of Summer Brown – outlines the success of the CGIU in apprehending a homicide suspect using ballistic evidence and collaboration
- Cold Case Solvability Matrix – a downloadable template for agencies to assess the potential for solvability using a point system
- Cold Case Solvability and Using Science in Investigations – the third in a four-part series on defining, implementing, and managing a cold case investigation
- Evaluation of Milwaukee Police Department’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center
Participating Cities
To launch this initiative, BJA has awarded grant funding to 19 cities that proposed to replicate the ATF Governing Board’s CGIC best practices in their jurisdictions. The cities, selected with input and coordination from the ATF, are:
Training & Technical Assistance
In collaboration with BJA, the Police Foundation and its partners will provide the replication sites and other selected agencies with proactive and on-demand training and technical assistance, including practical guides and checklists, technical briefings and training, and quick reaction assessments as warranted. This assistance is available from law enforcement, investigative and prosecution experts, forensics experts, technologists and academic experts who can share unique insights into effective and efficient processes and approaches to prevent and reduce violent crime committed with firearms.
To request technical assistance, training, or other resources through this initiative, agency POCs should send an email to TTA@policefoundation.org or call the Police Foundation at 202-833-1460.
For more information, go to our Training & Technical Assistance page.
Our Partners
The Police Foundation is collaborating with a wide variety of Partners and subject matter experts to support the participating cities. Our partners include:
