ATF Opens New Field Division in Denver
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has opened a new field division –– the agency’s 24th –– in Denver, Colo, to better focus its resources in the region to fight violent crime.
Working for a Safer Community
ATF Acting Director Michael Sullivan noted that “the simple act of realigning our personnel, resources, and geographical responsibility areas, as we’ve done here, will have a big and lasting impact on our ability to serve this community and make it an even safer place to live.” Sullivan made his remarks during a December 10 ceremony held in Denver to officially open ATF’s newest field division.
“The first priority of ATF is to make our communities safer from gangs, firearms and explosives-related violent crime,” Sullivan said. “The strategic realignment of special agents and industry operations investigators through the establishment of the Denver Field Division ––in conjunction with our local, state, regional and federal law enforcement partners–– will better assist ATF to achieve that goal in this region.”
Good News for Colorado
The new field division ––comprising Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and Utah–– will improve ATF’s ability to combat violent criminal gangs and organizations, and to share information and intelligence with its investigative partners.
“ATF’s new Denver Field Division is good news for Colorado,” said U.S. Attorney Troy Eid. “ATF already plays a crucial role in combating violent crimes involving firearms, arson, and explosives. Building an even stronger ATF presence here will benefit the entire Rocky Mountain West.”
The realignment of Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado from ATF’s Phoenix Field Division improves the agency’s ability to manage programs and resources in this large geographical area. The Phoenix Filed Division previously covered approximately 500,000 square miles and encompassed five judicial districts. Likewise, Montana has been reassigned from the St. Paul Field Division, easing a similarly expansive geographical challenge.
Strengthening Partnerships
Additional benefits to the region from the new field division opening include more efficient response time to enforcement activities and better working relationships with state and local partners, as well as other federal agencies currently located in Denver. Partnerships with regulated industry associations will continue to be strengthened. The new Denver Field Division is responsible for more than 5,300 federal firearms licensees and nearly 900 explosives licensees and permittees.
“Our new field division has more than 100 special agents and industry operations investigators,” said Matthew Horace, acting special agent in charge of the new field division. “We have an intelligence group dedicated to identifying criminal trends, analyzing trafficking data and developing focused information in support of the Bureau’s mission. We also have explosives enforcement officers, certified fire investigators, certified explosives specialists, and members of ATF’s National Response Team.”
The new field division is located in the Byron Rogers Federal Building, 1961 Stout Street, Denver. The division can be reached at (303) 844-7450.
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| ATF Acting Director Michael Sullivan delivers remarks at a press conference held in connection with the December 2007 opening of ATF’s Denver Field Division. The event drew more than 100 representatives from every major local, state and federal law enforcement agency. Positioned behind Sullivan are (L to R) Bill Mercer, U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana; Brett Tollman, U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah; John Greene, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming; Jim Billings, Chief of the Pueblo, Colorado Police Department; Matt Horace, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the new Denver Field Division; Troy Eid, U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado; John Suthers, Attorney General for Colorado; and Ron Porrea, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service. Photo compliments of the Denver Field Division |