ATF Director Proposes Interagency Task Force to Track Guns in Region

LOS ANGELES —  To help share information about guns and their histories, the head of the Los Angeles division of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms proposed Monday the creation of a regional task force of various local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors.

Speaking at a conference on gun enforcement laws at City Hall, Richard Curd, the bureau’s director, said there is a need for police and prosecutors to swap gun tracing information in a timely, efficient manner.

The proposal was met with resounding consensus from an array of law enforcement officials and state and federal prosecutors at the conference, hosted by City Councilman Mike Feuer and Ann Reiss Lane, head of Women Against Gun Violence.

“It absolutely should happen,” said U.S. Atty. Alejandro Mayorkas. “I think it’s a phenomenal idea that’s somewhat overdue.”

Curd said the task force could ultimately include agencies in Orange County, San Diego County and the rest of Southern California.

He suggested creating a database that would be available to all the agencies interested in tracing firearms. His bureau currently has that potential, and works with other agencies on an individual basis, but Curd said the regional task force would make it easier to share the information across departments.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is creating its own unit to trace firearms. But Sheriff Lee Baca said he too would support a regional effort.

In addition, Baca said he is initiating a “shot locater system” that has been used by the military and will be used New Year’s Eve to trace shots fired illegally into the air back to their source.

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), speaking to the group from Washington, said she believes local, state and federal governments must remain vigilant to enforce and create laws to limit gun violence. She said the biggest challenge is the powerful gun lobby.

But she said, “I deeply believe that there is a great sea change going on in this country and we are going to prevail.”