ATF Director Thomas Brandon Visits Huntsville, AL

            Huntsville --- Yesterday, ATF Director Thomas Brandon visited Huntsville, AL for the grand opening the National Integrated Ballistics Information (NIBIN) National Correlation and Training Center.  Having this facility in the Northern District of Alabama is representative of the growth and capabilities in Huntsville, and the impressive advancement that law enforcement has made in order to stay ahead of criminal threats to the public. 

The Grand Opening was attended by ATF Director Tom Brandon, several members of his leadership team, USA Louis Franklin (MDAL), USA Zach Terwilliger (EDVA), USA Jeff Jensen (EDMO), ATF ASAC David Hyche, Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-5), Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison County District Attorney Rob Broussard, Madison County Sheriff Kevin Turner, Huntsville Police Chief Mark McMurray, members of the National Crime Gun Intelligence Governing Board, and many other dignitaries and members of law enforcement.

National Integrated Ballistics Information Network, or NIBIN, is a national database of digital images of spent bullets, shell casings, and cartridge cases that were found at crime scenes or test-fired from confiscated weapons. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) manages the system and provides the equipment to crime labs around the country.  There are NIBIN machines in many areas in Alabama, to include Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery and are being considered in several other cities.

“The NIBIN system is DNA for ballistics.  The NIBIN National Correlation & Training Center is where we test that ballistic DNA,”  U.S. Attorney Jay Town said.  “The ability to take a shell casing from a crime scene in California and match it with shell casings found in Birmingham or Huntsville is next generation crime intelligence.  This ATF-driven technology is bad for bad guys.  More shooters will be captured.  More shooters will go to federal prison.  And as a result, more justice for victims and more neighborhoods will be returned to their rightful owners…the law abiding citizens who have lived there for too long behind locked doors.”