RICHFIELD, Ohio — Law enforcement agencies across Ohio now have more access to a national digital ballistics database at the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
BCI’s crime laboratories in Bowling Green, London, and Richfield have the hardware connected to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network and can accept crime guns and cartridge cases submitted by law enforcement.
As part of the expansion, BCI recently purchased five additional NIBIN units, two each in Bowling Green and London and one in Richfield, which previously housed the bureau’s only NIBIN station. BCI Richfield opened its doors on Tuesday to show new pieces of technology aiding police in solving crimes by analyzing guns used in crimes.
“Guns are rarely used just once; they’re used over and over again in violent crimes — the people who use them tend to commit multiple crimes,” said Dave Yost, Ohio Attorney General.
But it’s not just gun technology, but drug technology too.
Xylazine is being discovered by law enforcement in Northeast Ohio at an alarming rate. The animal tranquilizer is being mixed with different types of illegal drugs, including fentanyl.
“We’re mostly seeing it in fentanyl. It does appear in other drugs, but fentanyl is the main driver here. Fentanyl is bad enough as it is. It is the most deadly drug this nation has ever seen. It’s largely responsible for the over 107,000 overdose deaths we saw last year,” said Brian McNeal, Drug Enforcement Administration.
Now, high-tech equipment at BCI is helping law enforcement identify drugs quicker. This portable 908 device is how it’s being done. So far, roughly 260 officers in the state have the training to use the machine. The technology is available in 60 counties.
“In the items that contain just fentanyl, xylazine’s in approximately 30% of those samples,” said Jessica Toms, BCI Lab Supervisor.
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