Gun Tracing

Audience

Strategy

Gun tracing involves tracking the movement of a gun used in a crime from its first sale. Gun tracing helps law enforcement identify suspects and potential gun traffickers. Police departments typically work in conjunction with special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to investigate individuals whose guns were involved in crimes, including straw purchasers, and then arrest and prosecute those individuals.

Specific programs and implementation sites:

Baltimore County Police Gun Squad, Baltimore, MD
Boston Gun Project, Boston, MA
Chicago Anti-Gun Enforcement Program, Chicago, IL
Oakland Firearms Licensee Compliance Program, Oakland, CA
Violent Crime Task Force, Charlotte, NC
West Virginia Firearms Violations Task Force, Charleston, WV

Helpful resources and citations:

Federal Firearms Compliance Inspections and Revocation Process, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
Firearm Trafficking Program, Bureau of Justice Assistance
National Tracing Center, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
Review of Gun Tracing, City Grip

Primary implementing agency:

Law Enforcement

Potential partnering agencies:

Federal law enforcement partners

Links to evaluation evidence:

Integrated ballistics identification system, Effective

PSN Pillars

Focused and Strategic Enforcement

Community Engagement

Accountability

Body-Worn Camera Auto-Triggering Technologies

Law Enforcement

Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative

Comprehensive Gun Violence Reduction Strategies

Consent to Search and Seize Program

Gun Buy-Back or Turn-In Programs

Gun Courts

Gun Dealer Records Maintenance

Gun Licensing

Gun Prosecution Case Screening

Gun Violence Prevention Hotlines

Gunshot Detection Technology

Homicide and Non-fatal Shooting Databases

Homicide Investigations and Prosecutions Assessment – PSN Resource

Homicide Review Commissions

Hospital-Policing Partnerships

Identifying and Responding to Chronic Offenders

Lost/Stolen Gun Reporting

Mentoring

Individually Focused

National Instant Criminal Background Check System Denials Investigations

Neighborhood Engagement Units

Nonfatal Shooting Assessment – PSN Resource

Law Enforcement

Policing

Parent/Guardian Counseling

Individually Focused

Parent/Guardian Counseling

Individually Focused

Police-Community Liaison

Public Awareness Campaigns

Real-Time Crime Center

Law Enforcement

Regulating Bulk Firearm Purchases

Promote Safe Storage of Firearms

Problem-Oriented Policing

Search and Seize Policy – Domestic Violence

Street Outreach Workers

Community-based Violence Intervention (CVI)

Survivors Empowered Rapid Response Team

Sustained Investigation of Gun-Involved Cases

Policing

Cure Violence

Community-based Violence Intervention (CVI)

Extreme Risk Protection Orders

Lethality Assessment Instruments

Credible Messenger Program

Community-based Violence Intervention (CVI)

Comprehensive Youth Violence Prevention Programs

Individually Focused

Top Offender List Training – PSN Resource

Law Enforcement

Focused Deterrence

Improve Homicide Investigations

Policing

Respond to Retaliatory Violent Disputes

Law Enforcement

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Gun Tracing

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