Ballistics database to help tackle gun crime

All gun information will be kept on the database

A new £8m national database of firearms aimed at helping fight the battle against gun crime will be officially launched by home secretary Jacqui Smith today.

The database will be a complete registry of all firearms and ammunition which come into police possession across England and Wales, allowing police to compare firearms and ballistic material with previous crimes and incidents, within 48 hours.

The database is part of the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS), which will have three CSI-style crime labs in Birmingham, Manchester and London.

NABIS began operating in November 2008 and has analysed more than 700 individual items, while links have been established between more than 100 separate incidents where firearms have been discharged.

Home secretary Jacqui Smith said the database will be vital in the fight against gun crime.

"Every gun tells a story, NABIS seeks to unlock these stories. By bringing together science, intelligence and technology we can unravel where a firearm has been used, by whom and why," she said.

"By giving investigative officers these tools, NABIS will help bring more people to justice, get more guns off the streets, and ultimately prevent them from being obtained in the first instance."

The database is based on the tried and tested design of the Violence and Sex Offender Register (ViSOR) and will use the same secure mechanisms to deliver confidential information to forces.

NABIS was initially jointly funded by the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers, with an investment of £5.5m. The Association of Chief Police Officers will be funding the service for a further £2.5m per year.