Even with homicides down from recent record highs, the city of Columbus is making some investments in fighting gun violence.
City leaders said on Thursday they’ll spend $25,000 to hire two additional special assistant U.S. attorneys to prosecute violent crimes.
“We are doing everything we can. This is our top priority,” Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said. “And we believe the federal government plays a critically important role in helping to make sure this community — and communities around the country — are safer and healthier, and we’re going to continue to lean into that.”
Also on Thursday, Ginther said the city will spend $5 million on tools and technology to help the city better use the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN. The database is administered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to help share evidence in gun-related crimes.
"When you put NIBIN and E-trace together and all the other technology we have and social media and DNA it can help law enforcement to identify patterns in firearms crimes," ATF director Steve Dettelbach said in a Thursday press conference.
E-trade is an internet-based system that allows participating law enforcement agencies to submit firearm traces to federal investigators.
The city will also work with the AFT to help launch a Regional Crime Gun Intelligence Center, which will also include other area police departments.