New Ballistic Forensic Resource Established in Frederick County Sheriff's Office, ATF Partner in Fighting Violent Crime with Technology

FREDERICK, Md. — The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO), in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division, has been selected by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and ATF as a new site for the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), and became fully operational last week. NIBIN is the only national crime gun ballistic network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms.

“This was a unique and outstanding opportunity for the Sheriff’s Office to partner with ATF in bringing to Frederick County a technology to identify ballistic evidence that will effectively assist law enforcement in solving gun related crimes and getting criminals and repeat offenders off of our streets,” said Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins. “It’s an evidence processing resource that will provide fast and accurate results in linking shooting incidents not only locally but regionally or across the country. This NIBIN network, located at the Law Enforcement Center, will not only support law enforcement agencies in Frederick County, but will support law enforcement throughout western Maryland.”

“Identifying, investigating, and incarcerating criminals who use firearms to threaten and damage communities is a mission that ATF and Frederick County Sheriff’s Office have always partnered on, and access to this technology further strengthens that mission,” said ATF Baltimore Field Division Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada. “NIBIN is a crucial resource for law enforcement, one that grows more effective every day as more and more law enforcement agencies gain access to it. Officers and deputies from all over western Maryland will have timely, important information about related firearm cases to expand their criminal investigations.”

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