ATF, Rock County Sheriff Host Educational Seminar in Response to FFL Burglary Uptick
Our town has experienced a number of smash-and-grab, vehicle-through-the-front-of-the-store firearm burglaries over the past year or two, so it was interesting to see this being addressed in at least some places.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with the Rock County Sheriff’s Office, hosted an educational seminar for federal firearms licensees on February 15, at the Rock County Courthouse in Janesville, WI. The seminar was set up in response to the rash of gun store burglaries that recently occurred in southwest Wisconsin.
Despite gun shop counter-talk, there are no federal laws requiring FFLs to secure their firearms, ATF’s industry operations investigators recommend a variety of measures to reduce the number of gun store burglaries. Licensees received information on ideal methods for securing their inventories including installation of alarm systems and other physical security measures, as well as best practices in record keeping to ensure a good record of inventory is in place.
“Partnering with firearms dealers is critical in order to prevent thefts and keep our communities safe,” said Director of Industry Operations Hans Hummel, who is responsible for regulatory operations of ATF’s Saint Paul Field Division. “We want licensees to be aware that there are low-cost solutions that can be implemented. Many burglaries can be prevented with just a few safeguards in place.” Continue reading
NSSF, BATFE Jointly Launch Operation Secure Store
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced today the launch of Operation Secure Store (OSS), a comprehensive joint initiative to help Federal Firearms Licensees (FFL) make well-informed security-related decisions to deter and prevent thefts.
Central to the OSS initiative is NSSF’s prior partnerships with ATF to help prevent thefts from FFLs through educational programming, such as the ongoing series of regional seminars hosted by ATF. Additionally, the organizations’ matching rewards program becomes an anchor component of the program, effectively doubling the money offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for thefts from licensed retailers.
“No one wants to prevent the theft of firearms more than the licensed retailers that sell them,” said Stephen L. Sanetti, NSSF president and chief executive officer. “There is no one-size fits all solution to helping prevent thefts from firearms retailers, which is why Operation Secure Store will provide access to information and training to allow retailers to make the decisions that are right for them.”
“It’s clear from the crime guns we recover every day that firearms stolen from FFL retailers are a serious threat to public safety” said ATF Deputy Director Thomas Brandon. “To mitigate this threat, ATF welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with the NSSF to educate and inform FFL retailers on how they can enhance the security of their businesses.”
More information about the initiative will be announced in the weeks ahead.
U.S. Attorney Announces New Grant to Expand Efforts to Combat Gun Violence
Additional Resources to Share Gun Intelligence and get Trigger Pullers Off the Streets
U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes announced today the expansion of the Project Safe Neighborhood program in the Puget Sound region, with additional focus on crime gun intelligence in South King and Pierce Counties. The U.S. Department of Justice awarded $500,000 to the program which will enhance intelligence sharing between law enforcement agencies so that guns used in crimes can be linked, helping law enforcement build cases for prosecution.
“Forensic tools from ATF, and intelligence sharing between law enforcement agencies have been key to identifying felons with guns who need to be off the street,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “In three of the cases we are highlighting today, the guns recovered have been tied to multiple shootings – in one case as many as 9 shots fired incidents in a short period of time. Combating gun violence is a top priority of the Justice Department and my office.”
The Project Safe Neighborhood grant provides funding for a Special Assistant United States Attorney to review every firearms case in King County to see if it is appropriate for federal prosecution. Grant money in 2017-2018 will provide for additional personnel to leverage the Gun Crime Intelligence Center to make connections between shooting incidents in south King and Pierce Counties. This information helps law enforcement identify, arrest and prosecute high-impact offenders.
“ATF is proud to partner with local law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring the most advanced forensic science to the battle against gun crime,” said Darek Pleasants, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Seattle. “The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. Since the program’s inception in 1999 through 2016, NIBIN partners have captured approximately 2.8 million images of ballistic evidence and confirmed more than 74,000 NIBIN hits.”
Unveiled in May 2001, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a comprehensive and strategic approach to gun law enforcement. PSN is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in America by networking both new and existing local programs that target gun crime and then providing them with the resources and tools they need to succeed. Implementation at the local level has fostered close partnerships between federal, state and local prosecutors and law enforcement.
Chicago Campaign Targets Illegal Gun Purchases
NSSF, ATF, U.S. Attorney, Area Law Enforcement Emphasize ‘Don’t Lie for the Other Guy’
As part of an ongoing national effort to help prevent illegal “straw” purchases of firearms, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are reminding the public in the Chicago Chicagoland area that stiff penalties are in place for individuals convicted of such purchases.
Billboard advertisements for the Don’t Lie for the Other Guy program have been purchased by NSSF in key locations throughout the region with the message: “Buy a gun for someone who can’t and buy yourself 10 years in jail. Don’t Lie for the Other Guy.”
The month-long public awareness campaign was officially launched today with a short program at the Bass Pro Shops, 709 Janes Ave, Bolingbrook, Ill. Present at the event were representatives of the ATF Chicago Field Division, the Bolingbrook Police Department, Will County Sheriff’s Office, DuPage County Sheriff’s Office and NSSF.
More than 55 million impressions will be delivered via billboards and in-transit displays, as well as 3.5 million digital and social media impressions around Chicago along with more than 2.4 million impressions through 30-second radio spots airing on local stations. Chicagoland was chosen for this special campaign by ATF. No taxpayer dollars are used. The program is funded in full by the firearms industry. Continue reading
ATF Seeks Public Assistance in Recovering Rifles Stolen from Clayton, N.C. Gun Store
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Clayton Police Department (CPD) are seeking the public’s assistance in the recovery of five 5.56/.223 caliber rifles stolen on November 23, 2016, during a burglary at Trigger Happy Guns, located at 227 E. Main Street in Clayton, N.C.
The stolen firearms are similar in appearance to the photo below:
Anyone with information regarding the location of these firearms and/or persons who unknowingly purchased one or more of these firearms can contact ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS, email ATFTips@atf.gov; through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips; or through the ReportIt app, available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store.
Anyone with information can also contact Clayton Police Department at 919-553-4611. All calls and tips will be kept confidential.
ATF along with our law enforcement partners are committed to ensuring that our communities are safe, and that those who commit violent crimes such as this are held accountable.
Guess Which Country Just Helped Illustrate the Absurdity of US Suppressor Laws?
TN Man Convicted of Smuggling Suppressors into US Thanks to Lighter Regulation in… England(!?)
Well, this is embarrassing, as far as firearm freedoms go. It’s like having to admit that your Bugatti Veyron got beat around the track by the neighbor kid’s 1989 Honda CRX. Isn’t America supposed to be the bastion of gun rights (or, as anti-gun groups would have you believe, a violent wild west frontier straight from the bloodiest shoot-em-up flick you can find)?
Most proponents of an originalist (or any other common sense) interpretation of the United States Constitution and Bill of rights probably already feel that firearms are too heavily regulated in the US, and none are more highly regulated than Title II weapons that fall under the purview of the National Firearms Act, such as machine guns, silencers, short barreled firearms, and destructive devices. Such items are flat out illegal in a number of states and, where they are legal, ownership involves a number of hurdles, including high prices, payment of a $200 transfer tax, being finger-printed, wait times lasting the better part of a year, and federal registration of the item. “But hey, at least we don’t have European-style gun control, right?”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) recently released details of the conviction of a Tennessee man who traveled to England, where some may be surprised to find less restrictive laws, to purchase firearm silencers and smuggle them back into the US, presumably because the draconian laws in place here made them too difficult to obtain. Continue reading
