Chicago's fight against gun violence has taken a new turn with the inauguration of a state-of-the-art Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC). Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, alongside a coalition of law enforcement partners, announced the facility aimed to quickly connect the dots in gun-related crimes.

The new CGIC, according to Deputy Attorney General Monaco, is equipped with advanced technology to trace crime guns, link shootings through ballistics, and pinpoint illegal firearms traffickers. "By combining talent, technology, and data from 13 agencies in a single hub, law enforcement in Chicago will generate more leads to take repeat shooters off the streets, so we can push case-closure rates up and to drive violent crime rates down," Monaco said in a statement obtained by the Justice Department.

ATF Director Steven Dettelbach emphasized the collaborative effort, noting that agents, cops, detectives, deputies, and prosecutors from different agencies are now working under one roof. "We are putting agents, cops, detectives, deputies, and prosecutors, all from different agencies across law enforcement, in one room working together," Dettelbach told the Justice Department. "Each morning, they are reviewing key evidence from the previous night’s shootings, using real-time, state of the art intelligence. It is a true game changer."

Chicago's CGIC is part of a larger network overseen by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), which operates over 60 such centers nationwide. This new hub will focus on comprehensive ballistics testing and firearms tracing, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual. "The CGIC in Chicago will allow us to identify specific incidents and trends in firearm offenses, enabling us to move quickly in investigating and prosecuting violent crimes in the most appropriate venue," said Pasqual, as he spoke to the need for expedited action.

Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling hailed the center's potential for strengthening public safety. "This CGIC brings together different areas of the government that are all committed to saving lives and preventing the gun violence plaguing our communities," Snelling said during the announcement. Collaborative efforts are deemed crucial as the city grapples with persistent gun violence.