Denver's Decade of Crime Gun Intelligence Operations

For over ten years, the Denver Police Department has worked with regional partner agencies to implement and refine crime gun intelligence strategies encompassing NIBIN operations, ShotSpotter, post-match investigations, and task force operations in a metropolitan area of approximately 3.5 million people. This presentation will highlight the approaches taken to address gun crime during a period marked by marijuana legalization, major protests, and the COVID-19 pandemic. While we have expanded our use of modern technologies, more importantly, we have integrated them into a real-time crime gun intelligence package for the Denver metropolitan area. Our model became the foundation for the ATF Crime Gun Intelligence Initiative, which has since been adopted by many major cities across the United States. However, significant challenges remain. This session will highlight emerging threats to sustaining this approach and discuss potential solutions that can be broadly applied across law enforcement and intelligence communities.