Remarks of Director John W. Magaw before the Online LEAD Kick-off Press Conference

FINAL

This is an important day for law enforcement all across our Nation as we activate the OnLine LEAD System.

Secretary Summers and Under Secretary Johnson, the men and women of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms appreciate your constant support of law enforcement, and especially of our programs and our mission to make America a safer place to live. Thank you for being with us today.

Also with us today: Colonel Thomas Manger of the Fairfax County, Virginia, Police Department; Chief Emmett Turner from the Metro Nashville, Tennessee, Police Department; Major Robert Barnhouse from the Montgomery County, Maryland, Police Department; Chief John Farrell from the Prince George’s County, Maryland, Police Department; and Assistant Chief Bill McManus from the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Department. Gentlemen, we appreciate your attendance today.

You and the men and women in your departments are the backbone of American law enforcement, often dealing with untold and unspeakable acts of gun violence. I have often said, but I say it again, it is an honor to serve you.

Your commitment to trace recovered crime guns enables ATF to provide an efficient and effective means to identify the sources of these guns, thereby assisting you in combating illegal firearms trafficking with the goal of fewer violent crimes being committed in your communities.

Online LEAD will put the power of the LEAD program into all 331 ATF offices throughout the United States. Investigators will have immediate and direct access to the statistics and information provided by the database. Trace information will now be available nationwide within 24 hours of the completed trace.

The more information we have on crime guns, the more productive LEAD becomes. The system presently contains over one million crime gun traces and 430,000 multiple sales records. By reviewing these records, we can identify recurring trends and patterns that may indicate the illegal trafficking of firearms.

I encourage all State and local law enforcement officers to promptly trace all crime guns that they recover – just as these Police Chiefs with us today are doing.

The more quickly we follow up on leads, the more likely we are to solve a crime. The ability to rapidly associate a crime gun allows us to produce and follow up on important leads. Just as important, LEAD also helps prevent crime by allowing ATF to focus on those who are the source of crime guns, stop the flow and shut them down.

As a former Ohio State trooper, I know that a tool such as this would have been invaluable to me and my fellow officers in solving crimes. As ATF Director, I see how valuable it will be in preventing crime by stopping the trafficker before that next crime gun can be sold.

ATF is of course pleased to be involved in a continuing partnership with State and local law enforcement as together we work to reduce violent crime.

Allow me to call on one of the Chiefs with us today. Chief Emmett Turner’s Metro Nashville Police Department is providing community based police services through crime prevention strategies and partnerships.

Chief Turner brings 30 years of law enforcement experience to his leadership responsibilities. I am pleased and honored that he is able to be with us today. Chief Turner…