ATF’S BOMB AND ARSON TRACKING SYSTEM WINS E-GOV AWARD
Pioneer Awards Recognize Programs With Innovative Best Practices

WASHINGTON – The Bomb and Arson Tracking System (BATS) developed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has won a 2004 Government Solutions Center Pioneer Award from the E-Gov Institute.

BATS, launched by ATF last year, is an Internet-accessible system that allows state, local and other federal law enforcement agencies to share information about bomb and arson cases and incidents.

The Pioneer Award given to BATS was one of 15 that the E-Gov Institute bestowed this year to federal, state and local agencies. The awards recognize programs with innovative best practices delivering essential e-government services to citizens, businesses and other public sector organizations, and are part of the Annual Government Solutions Forum to be held June 2-4 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center here. The winners will be recognized at a banquet June 3.

ATF’s Arson and Explosives National Repository, which Congress has entrusted with maintaining all national information on explosives incidents and arson, developed BATS to serve as a library that state, local and other federal law enforcement agencies could use to manage and exchange information.

“We’re proud to have BATS recognized for the innovative program that it is,” said Virginia O’Brien, ATF’s acting assistant director for strategic intelligence and information. “It for the first time provides state, local and federal law enforcement agencies that have fire, arson, post-blast and explosives ordnance disposal responsibilities the ability to put in and share information concerning arson and explosives crimes.”

The system is limited only to law enforcement agencies. Those agencies interested in participating in BATS should contact the National Repository at 1-800-461-8841. More information on ATF can be found at www.atf.gov and on the National Repository at www.atf.gov/aexis2/index.htm.
  

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