Task force expanding to include law enforcement agencies across Central Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS – Today, the Indianapolis Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) will officially become a regional task force now known as the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force (ICGTF). The task force is the product of collaboration between several mayors, lawmakers, and other key leaders including police chiefs and sheriffs.

The expansion allows for a coordinated and uniform approach in processing, collecting, and analyzing gun evidence throughout Central Indiana. The newly formed task force will enhance the efforts of law enforcement agencies to track crime guns and shooting suspects who travel beyond county lines and throughout the state.

“We’re proud to build on a successful model here in Indianapolis, taking advantage of interagency partnerships to solve and prevent violent crimes,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “By working with law enforcement from throughout our region, we’re making sure our violence reduction efforts are as responsive as possible.”

“We have seen repeatedly that crime does not know county lines. That is why this regional task force is instrumental in allowing law enforcement from all over Central Indiana to work together, identify criminal behavior and stop the mobility of crime throughout our communities, “said IMPD Chief Randal Taylor.

When fully implemented, the task force will include law enforcement agencies from Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson, and Shelby counties.

Since its inception, CGIC has proven to be successful in removing illegal firearms out of the hands of criminals. Officers have:

• seized 717 firearms
• arrested 813 people on state and federal charges
• entered more than 24,547 entries into National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN)
• followed up on more than 3,959 leads

The expansion was made possible by the Indiana General Assembly led by Representative Greg Steuerwald, who initially sponsored House Bill 1558. The state budget passed this year also appropriated $10 million for operating costs over the next two years.

ICGTF is a partnership between the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Fishers Police Department, Carmel Police Department, Avon Police Department, Zionsville Police Department, Indiana State Police, US Attorney and the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. It is comprised of officers, detectives, and analysts from several agencies.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department began the Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) in January 2019. It was initiated as part of the City’s strategy to reduce violent crimes by analyzing gun evidence to help identify shooters, and disrupt and prevent violence.

“ATF has a long history of working with our state and local counterparts, including the formation of a Crime Gun Intelligence Center with IMPD a couple of years ago,” stated Roland H. Herndon, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “This regional CGIC is the next logical step. Criminals know no jurisdictional bounds, and by bringing together all of these agencies to share intelligence and investigate violent crimes as a unit, we are enhancing our commitment to our communities to address the violence wherever it is occurring.”