SAO4 Hosts National CGI Governing Board During 10th Anniversary

A key tool in the fight against violent crime marks its 10th anniversary this year, and the office was honored to help commemorate the milestone with the first onsite meeting of the Crime Gun Intelligence Board. Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGIC) were established by ATF as interagency hubs where local, state, and federal law enforcement partners work collaboratively to collect, manage, and analyze crime gun evidence. Their goal is to generate investigative leads that help identify, arrest, and prosecute shooters and prevent future violence.

The centers utilize the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to analyze fired cartridge casings and identify potential links among shootings and firearms. Those comparisons can connect crimes that might otherwise appear unrelated and provide investigators with critical leads.

The CGI Governing Board comprises law enforcement officials, federal and state prosecutors, forensic science experts, and ATF executives who provide input related to crime gun intelligence. The Board also maintains and updates a best-practices guide designed to help law enforcement agencies use the CGIC model to combat gun violence. The Board met in Jacksonville Sept. 21-22, 2026—the first time the Board has met at a CGIC.

“Crime Gun Intelligence Centers are one of the most effective tools we have incorporated to quickly identify shooters, connect violent crimes, and take dangerous offenders off our streets,” said State Attorney Melissa Nelson, a member of the CGIC Governing Board. “Jacksonville recognized the value of this model early, and I am confident our CGIC has contributed to the decline in violent crime in our community. We are fortunate to have this extraordinary level of cooperation, expertise, and technology working every day to make Jacksonville safer.”

Beginning in 2017, the State Attorney’s Office worked with law enforcement partners and community leaders to develop a center for Northeast Florida. In 2019, Jacksonville’s CGIC opened within the State Attorney’s Office as the first Crime Gun Intelligence Center in Florida. Today, there are 25 Crime Gun Intelligence Centers nationwide.

“Over the past 10 years, CGICs have become one of the nation’s most effective tools for driving down violent crime,” said ATF Director Rob Cekada. “The recent reduction in violent crime did not happen on its own. It’s due in no small part to better intelligence sharing and stronger partnerships through CGICs, which give law enforcement the tools and networks they need to stop violence before it spreads.”