U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced on April 9 that he will open a one-day training session focused on firearms intelligence and trends, provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in Eastern Panhandle.
The training aims to strengthen local law enforcement’s ability to investigate gun crimes by introducing new tools and techniques. The event is intended to help officers stay current with developments in firearms tracing technology, which can be critical for solving violent crimes.
“I commend the ATF for keeping our law enforcement partners on the cutting edge of firearms tracing and technology that is critical to solving gun crimes and preventing further violence,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “With effective firearms investigations, we can ensure that those committing violent crimes are held accountable.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge John Nokes said, “This eight-hour training course is designed to enhance the capabilities of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors in investigating and prosecuting firearm-related violent crime.” Nokes added, “Participants will receive instruction on the latest crime gun investigative tools and techniques, including firearms tracing, emerging firearm and 3D-printing technologies, and advanced resources such as ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).”
The program includes demonstrations of NIBIN technology, which allows national tracing of expended shell casings to connect separate crimes involving the same firearm across different jurisdictions.
The free training offers eight hours of education credits through LEPS for law enforcement participants. It takes place at Jefferson High School in Shenandoah Junction from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
