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…