Law enforcement leaders from across the region including the ATF, Virginia State Police, and Danville Police Department gathered in Roanoke today to announce the next steps for the Western District of Virginia’s violent crime reduction strategy. United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia Christopher R. Kavanaugh announced during the press conference a new mobile ballistics unit that will be used by law enforcement in the district.

The unit is a part of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network(NIBIN). The mobile ballistics unit will help law enforcement in the western district of the state have access to the NIBIN system. NIBIN allows law enforcement to match shell casings  from a gun that has been used in multiple crimes.

Danville Police Chief Scott Booth spoke at the press conference and stated that since 2018 Danville Police has had 369 NIBIN hits. Booth also noted why NIBIN is an important tool for law enforcement to reduce gun violence.

“A lot of times either people aren’t willing to come forward or there just isn’t an eye witness that can assist us with the investigation,” said Booth. “That’s why technology such as NIBIN ballistic imaging is so important to investigations, it’s so important to keeping out communities safe and reducing gun violence in every community in Virginia.”