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Diane Richardson
Media Relations Office
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Charles County Sheriff Troy D. Berry and the members of the CCSO Forensic Science Unit are pleased to announce the Agency is now utilizing the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) – a program managed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The NIBIN program automates ballistics evaluations and provides actionable investigative leads in a timely manner by allowing forensic examiners to compare ballistic evidence to crimes throughout the region. “Being able to use the NIBIN system will expedite our investigations and quickly help us determine if cases could be linked, thus providing more clues to unsolved crimes,” said Sheriff Berry.
According to Ms. Noelle Gehrman, Deputy Director of the Agency’s Forensic Science Unit, “NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving crimes involving firearms. It is a resource that is vital to any violent crime reduction strategy because it provides investigators with the ability to compare their ballistics evidence against evidence from other crimes on a local, regional and national level and possibly generate investigative links that would rarely be revealed absent the technology.”
Prior to the NIBIN program, firearms examiners performed this process manually which was extremely labor intensive. To use NIBIN, firearms examiners or technicians enter cartridge casing evidence into the Integrated Ballistic Identification System. These images are correlated against the database. “This program is one of many investigative tools accessed by investigators that allows each of us to share information making all of us more effective in closing cases,” said Gehrman.
“It took us nearly three years to get this program up and running and I am excited that we can bring this level of technology to our agency and our county. We truly appreciate the ATF and Maryland State Police for their guidance in helping us bring this to fruition,” said Lt. Erica Budd, a former supervisor of the Forensic Science Unit.
“NIBIN is a great resource for us all, producing relevant intelligence for investigators and providing a better chance to identify and arrest suspects. This network will give us a head start,” said Sheriff Berry. Currently, six members of the Agency’s Forensic Science Unit are trained to complete NIBIN acquisitions.
PHOTO from left to right: Captain Joseph Pratta (Commander, Criminal Investigations Division), Noelle Gehrman (Deputy Director, FSU), and PFC David Sylvestre (FSU Technician).
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service law enforcement agency comprised of more than 600 police, corrections and civilian personnel responsible for protecting more than 150,000 residents. The CCSO was accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2001 has been designated as a CALEA Gold Standard of Excellence agency since 2011. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit www.ccso.us.
Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person responsible for a crime in Charles County. All individuals who provide tips through Crime Solvers will remain anonymous. Anyone with information about an unsolved crime or the location of a fugitive may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online at www.charlescountycrimesolvers.com or by using the P3Intel mobile app, which can be found in the Android Store and Apple store by searching P3tips. For more information about the P3 program, click on this link: www.p3intel.com.