Columbia Police Chief W. H. ‘Skip’ Holbrook, City of Columbia Mayor Stephen K. Benjamin, City Manager Teresa Wilson along with state and federal partners announced a new the latest federal grant awarded to the Columbia Police Department to prevent, reduce and solve gun-related violent crime in the City of Columbia.
Federal Grant Announcement News Conference Bailey Street Community Center
The three-year grant called the Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) Initiative Grant comes from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and totals $668,414 that will directly support the Columbia Police Department’s (CPD) newly created Crime Gun Intelligence Unit. The Unit will be comprised of the following sworn & civilian subject-matter experts:
- Program Manager
- Unit Supervisor
- Two Crime Analysts
- National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) Analysts – Ballistic Evidence Input – Embedded at SLED
- Ceasefire Coordinator
Specifically, the NIBIN analyst is funded through a separate $77,471 Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) Grant making a combined grant award of $745,885. The PSN Initiative was announced in July 2019 with local, state and federal partners in the Greenview Community in North Columbia.
The Project Safe Neighborhood Strategy focuses on: Prevention & Education, Partnerships, Evidence-Based Practices, Technology and Building Trust in the Community. The CGIU will enhance the PSN model.
Federal Grant Announcement News Conference Bailey Street Community Center
Here are some additional Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) Quick Facts:
- Supports CPD’s existing partnerships with:
- Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF)
- United States Attorney’s Office –District SC
- SC Law Enforcement Division (SLED)
- Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office
- SC Department of Probation, Parole & Pardon Services (PPP)
- Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD)
- Follow-Up on actionable leads for investigations
- Provides feedback to partner stakeholders
- Follows CGIC best practices:
- Commitment from Chief Holbrook & Command Staff
- Comprehensive Firearm-related Crime & Forensic Tracing
- Crime Gun Intelligence Analysis
- CGIC Investigations
- Law Enforcement & Prosecution Collaboration & Arrests
- Focused State & Federal Prosecution
- Similar to Ceasefire Columbia – a focused deterrence initiative to address gun violence offenders in 29203 neighborhoods
- Local CGIC Feedback
Utilizes intelligence, technology to:
- Identify gun crime offenders & firearms sellers/purchasers
- Disrupt illegal pattern/cycle of behavior
- Hold offenders accountable on federal gun crime penalties (Arrests)
- Gather information for investigations & court cases on state and/or federal level for prosecution
Augments Gun Crime Analysis with:
- Grant-funded surveillance equipment
- Web-based software
- Training of CGIU personnel
Future Plans:
- Performance measures
- Additional grant-funding for sustainability
- Additional personnel based on caseload
Other CGIC Grant Cities Selected:
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Houston, Texas
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Paul, Minnesota
- Tampa, Florida
- Wichita, Kansas
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina