March 2010

www.atf.gov

Contact: ATF Public Affairs Division

(202) 648-8500

VIOLENT CRIME IMPACT TEAMS (VCIT) INITIATIVE

Purpose

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is the lead

federal law enforcement agency in the Violent Crime Impact Team (VCIT) initiative, which

uses innovative technology, analytical investigative resources and an integrated federal, state

and local law enforcement strategy to identify, disrupt, arrest and prosecute the most violent

criminals in 31 U.S. cities. The VCIT concept employs ATF resources from across the

United States to target specific geographic hot spots that are experiencing an escalation of

violent firearms crime.

Authority

In June 2004, the U.S. Department of Justice and ATF established the VCIT

initiative as a pilot program. There were two primary purposes of the VCIT initiative, as

articulated by the Office of the Deputy Attorney General and ATF. The first was to reduce

homicides and violent firearms crimes in cities where homicide and violent crime rates had

not followed the national trend downward. The second was to test the effectiveness of the

VCIT strategy in reducing, rather than displacing, the incidents of firearms-related violence

in neighborhoods and communities by identifying, arresting and removing to prison the

“worst-of-the-worst” violent offenders in specific targeted areas referred to as hot spots.

Mission

VCIT’s primary goal is to reduce the number of violent firearms-related crimes in

targeted areas. Removing violent criminals and their firearms from the community yields

lasting, positive effects that make the area safer for law-abiding citizens.

VCIT is ATF’s signature initiative to reduce the occurrence of firearms-related

violent crime in small geographic areas experiencing an increase in violence. The VCIT

strategy is an integrated federal, state and local law enforcement approach that employs a

variety of innovative technologies, investigative techniques and analytical resources. A

team’s ability to focus on a small target area and flood it with the integrated resources of

federal, state and local partners is critical to the success of the program.

ATF’s industry operations resources are an important component of the VCIT

program. The inspection initiative is designed to detect and prevent diversion of firearms

from legal to illegal commerce. Federal firearms licensees (FFLs) located in the 31 VCIT

cities are identified for inspection through intelligence-based information. Additionally, these

inspections emphasize educating, encouraging and assisting the FFLs in the development of

strong internal controls to prevent firearms diversion.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Fact Sheet

At The Frontline Against Violent Crime Public Affairs Division – Washington, DC

ATF Fact Sheet - Violent Crime Impact Teams (VCIT) Initiative Page 1 of 2

http://www.atf.gov/publications/factsheets/factsheet-violent-crime-impact-teams.html 11/02/11
Currently, the 31 VCITs operate in 18 field divisions. Teams are staffed by ATF

special agents, intelligence research specialists, investigative assistants, more than 100 state

and local officers and other federal agents. VCIT’s partnership with state and local law

enforcement brings together the unique, interdependent assets and cutting-edge technology of

all participating agencies.

Statistics

Fiscal Year Cases Referred Defendants Referred for

Prosecution

2006 641 919

2007 655 1,027

2008 728 1,218

2009 660 1,105

Fiscal Year Average Sentence of Defendants

2006 145 months

2007 178 months

2008 204 months

2009 121 months

Cities

The 31 VCIT cities are: Albuquerque, N.M.; Atlanta; Baltimore; Baton Rouge and

New Orleans, La.; Birmingham, Ala.; Camden, N.J.; Columbus, Ohio; Fresno, Los Angeles

and San Bernardino, Calif.; Greensboro, N.C.; Hartford, Conn.; Houston and Laredo, Texas;

Jackson, Miss.; Las Vegas; Memphis and Nashville, Tenn.; Mesa and Tucson, Ariz.; Miami,

Orlando and Tampa, Fla.; Milwaukee; Minneapolis; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Richmond,

Va.; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Tulsa, Okla.

For more information about VCIT, go to www.atf.gov (http://www.atf.gov/) .

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ATF Fact Sheet - Violent Crime Impact Teams (VCIT) Initiative Page 2 of 2

http://www.atf.gov/publications/factsheets/factsheet-violent-crime-impact-teams.html 11/02/11