New technology aids Tri-Cities law enforcement

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Law enforcement officers from across the region gathered at East Tennessee State University Thursday to train with a new National Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).

“A couple of years ago, ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation identified the fact that Eastern Tennessee is somewhat underserved in terms of technology and innovation,” said Guy McCormick, the Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the ATF in Nashville.

The new technology located on ETSU’s campus allows officers to solve crimes quicker.

“What this technology does is it allows us to take cartridge cases fired out of firearms and microscopically match them up via this machine,” said McCormick. “What that allows us to do is to take what we foresee as seemingly un-linked events, un-associated events and connect them.”

The casing are then inserted into a machine, which takes high-definition pictures. Officers can then use their training to identify what gun matches the casings.

“What we found out is that often about 10% of our suspects are committing about 90% of our violent crimes,” said McCormick. “Being able to identify who those individuals are, the trigger pullers as we call them, allows us to better focus our limited resources on those specific individuals and then reduce violent crime in our community by taking those individuals off the street.”

McCormick told News Channel 11 that it can also help law enforcement connect one crime scene to another. Sergeant Mike Commons with the Elizabethton Police Department said it will help them save valuable time.

“They gave an example where it took six minutes, but normally they’ll expect anywhere up to about 24 hours because it has a whole series of databases, it’s got to run through,” said Commons.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather.