Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) joined state, local, and federal leaders in Columbus on Tuesday to unveil the new Central Ohio Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC).
According to the press release, the center is located within the Ohio Department of Public Safety. It operates in partnership with the Columbus Division of Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center, Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
This new centralized law enforcement hub, dedicated to researching and preventing gun violence, brings together investigators, intelligence analysts, and firearms evidence examiners under one roof to quickly gather, examine, and share information about guns used in violent crimes. CGIC is free to assist law enforcement agencies throughout the region.
According to DeWine, this center is distinctive from everything done previously in central Ohio.
“The new Central Ohio Crime Gun Intelligence Center represents the next generation in intelligence-based policing, and it is unlike anything that has ever been done in Central Ohio before. The teams taking part in this large-scale and long-term collaboration are sharing everything from intelligence and investigative leads to technology and manpower so that they can zero in on the people who are shooting and killing others without remorse. Gun violence is about to become much, much harder to get away with in Central Ohio,” DeWine said.
The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), created by the ATF to assist law enforcement in connecting gun crimes across the country, is the focal point of the Central Ohio CGIC. The CGIC will use two NIBIN machines from the Ohio State Highway Patrol to digitize shell casings associated with criminal investigations and compare them to firearm evidence from previous cases. Law enforcement can utilize this information as a lead in their investigation if there is a match, which may suggest that an individual used the same firearm in several shootings.
According to Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther (D), the CGIC is exactly what the city needs to empower law enforcement to capture and prosecute those responsible for perpetrating gun violence in Columbus.
“This is about tapping into the power of collaboration to strengthen accountability and secure justice – using our combined resources to connect the guns being used to kill, maim, and commit crimes with the individuals who wield or peddle them in the first place,” Ginther said.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said that this new center is something members of all political parties can stand behind.
“Crime Gun Intelligence Centers succeed when NIBIN technology is leveraged by law enforcement agencies working together to pinpoint and stop criminals who illegally use guns on our streets. This is a path forward all political parties can agree will reduce gun violence in our communities,” Yost said.
Additional agencies supporting the Central Ohio CGIC include the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin said that this center makes huge strides in the region with efforts to combat gun violence.
“The center represents a crucial step forward in our efforts to combat gun violence in our community. With this ground-breaking technology and collaboration with local agencies, we’ll be able to make a real impact in reducing gun crime and help victims and their families find justice,” Baldwin said.
According to U.S. Attorney Kenneth Parker, concentrated, collaborative efforts like this CGIC can have a real impact on reducing the level of violence in the region.
“Federal firearms laws can be punished by up to 10 years in prison. We will not hesitate to use those laws when appropriate to hold accountable those who use firearms to commit acts of violence in our communities,” Parker said.
The Central Ohio CGIC is now the state’s second full-scale crime gun intelligence center, joining the center operated by the Cincinnati Police Department. Governor DeWine’s Ohio Ballistics Testing Initiative, which he unveiled in March 2022, provided funding for the two new NIBIN machines earmarked for the Central Ohio CGIC. The Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Ohio State Highway Patrol received a total of $10.5 million to expand the number of NIBIN units in Ohio from seven to sixteen.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star, The Star News Network, The Arizona Sun Times, and The Tennessee Star. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Mike DeWine” by Mike DeWine.
