CRIMINAL AND SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE

TRACING ALL CRIME GUNS RECOVERED BY
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

WHEREAS, as a result of the efforts of communities across the country and of the federal government, violent gun crime is down by over 35 percent since 1992 and the murder rate is at its lowest level in over three decades; and

WHEREAS, over 32,000 Americans still lose their lives in gunfire every year, including 12 children every day; and

WHEREAS, many cities use comprehensive firearms violence reduction strategies involving the whole community and are having a significant impact on reducing firearms crime and violence; and

WHEREAS, tracing firearms, bullets and shell casings helps cities develop effective strategies, solve and prosecute crimes, determine sources of illegally obtained firearms and prosecute illegal gun traffickers; and

WHEREAS, Chicago, Boston, High Point and other cities have significantly reduced firearms related crimes using strategies that include tracing of all crime guns; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Treasury’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms provides the opportunity for law enforcement agencies to trace every recovered crime gun through the National Tracing Center; and

WHEREAS, the technology now exists to match bullets and shell casings to firearms used in crimes anywhere in the United States through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network; and

WHEREAS, with the cooperation of state and local law enforcement agencies and the leadership of the Clinton/Gore Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has increased crime gun traces from an estimated 55,000 in 1993 to over 200,000 in 1999 crime guns (or an estimated two-thirds of all recovered crime guns in the United States),

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors supports the Administration’s Gun Enforcement Initiative to move toward tracing every crime gun in America. This includes the Comprehensive Crime Gun Tracing, Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative, the first ever nationally integrated ballistics testing system and funding for local law enforcement agencies to receive training and tracing equipment; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors urges the Congress to support full funding for the Administration’s Gun Enforcement Initiative; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors promotes the tracing of all recovered crime guns in every city as part of a national effort to help solve, prosecute and reduce violent crimes.