Remarks by Carl J. Truscott
Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
MAGLOCLEN Gang Information Sharing Conference
Baltimore, Maryland
June 21, 2005

Note: This is the text as prepared for delivery. The Director sometimes deviates from prepared remarks.

Good afternoon. Thank you, Theresa, for that introduction. I appreciate this opportunity to join you, to open this important conference. I’d like to thank James Boylan of MAGLOCLEN for his service as Training Law Enforcement Coordinator, and his role in coordinating these training sessions. You have an ambitious schedule ahead of you for the next few days.

It’s great to be here with Major Matt Lawrence of the Maryland State Police—a good representation of the effective partnerships that our agencies have through MAGLOCLEN. We also value our cooperative working relationship with the Baltimore City Police Department. I appreciate Gerard Lynch’s service as Executive Director of MAGLOCLEN, and congratulate Patricia Borrelli on succeeding him as Executive Director.

There’s no question that gang violence threatens society in so many ways. It shatters families, and it takes lives. ATF has long been involved in the investigation and prosecution of Outlaw Motorcycle Organizations, and we’re using that expertise against the new wave of gang violence. We continue to fulfill our commitment to reducing violent crime, including gang crime.

We know from first-hand experience that communication and information-sharing are the key to combating gang violence. That’s true for everything from an investigation involving two people, to a complex multi-agency operation. ATF is committed to working with Federal, State, local, and international counterparts to combat gang violence. We understand that sharing information is essential, to solve—and to prevent—violent crimes.

At ATF, we believe gang crime is a critical problem, and we believe it’s essential to work together to combat it. So we’ve acted on those beliefs, in ways such as co-sponsoring this conference. As many of you know, ATF, MAGLOCLEN, the Baltimore City Police Department, and the Maryland State Police have worked closely over the last 18 years to create a forum in which law enforcement entities can share information, strategies, and techniques in the fight against gang violence. And we will continue to work in partnership with you in the fight against gang violence.

We at ATF have long understood that strong partnerships are critical to our mutual success, and an emphasis on working together is part of our approach. Through Project Safe Neighborhoods, the President’s primary criminal justice initiative, task forces unify law enforcement and community efforts in cities across the United States. To further focus on areas experiencing less success against violent crime, ATF is leading Violent Crime Impact Teams or VCIT in twenty cities, including Baltimore and Washington. These teams, led by ATF agents, also include representatives of Federal, State and local law enforcement, and each team tailors its approach to its specific situation. VCIT also brings technology and information together in innovative ways, such as analysis of tracing information and ballistic evidence. Your conference includes a briefing about VCIT later this week, on Friday. VCIT works because of partnerships, because it unifies law enforcement’s efforts—across agency boundaries. It unleashes the power of collaboration, to break the hold of gang violence on vulnerable communities.

And ATF’s commitment is shared by the Department of Justice. In late April, Attorney General Gonzales announced initiatives to coordinate the Federal response to gang violence. The first initiative established the Attorney General’s Anti-Gang Coordination Committee, to advise the Department on using resource allocation and policies effectively, to reduce violent crime from gangs. Also, a U.S. Attorney in each district is being appointed the anti-gang coordinator. This coordinator will consult with a variety of partners—such as Federal, State and local law enforcement, social services, and community groups—to prepare a comprehensive district-wide strategy for coordinating anti-gang activity. Third, the Committee will develop a training regimen, covering a broad range of topics and enabling us to share best practices.

So you’ve got a great opportunity in front of you. I know you will take advantage of this week to learn what’s working for others. There are so many interesting seminars on the agenda before you—including one tomorrow afternoon, in which you’ll hear from two ATF Agents, Jay Dobyns and Jenna Maguire, who went deep undercover to infiltrate a violent chapter of the Hells Angels. Both individuals will share with you their experiences from this 22-month undercover operation. In seminars and discussions this week, you’ll be surrounded by the insights of others. Share your own ideas and methodologies, and seek out new ideas about gang trends and activity, and about investigative and information-gathering techniques.

It’s important to gain knowledge at this conference. But it may be even more valuable to form new partnerships. This is an outstanding opportunity to expand and strengthen your communication network. The contacts you renew and begin this week will prove invaluable—because after all, the bad guys gain a lot of benefits by working together, and we can too.

Thank you for coming, and best wishes for a successful and rewarding conference.

Thank you.

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