The Goodyear and Glendale police departments are teaming up to use new technology to help solve crimes.
For the last year, the Goodyear Police Department has been working with Phoenix Police in their lab to try to solve violent crimes involving guns. Now, through a new contract, they'll work with the Glendale Police Department as well.
It's through what's known as the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, or NIBIN. It's new technology with the ATF that uses ballistic imaging technology to help solve crimes.
Many times crimes will cross city and town boundaries, making it even more important for nearby agencies to work together.
And so far, Goodyear Police Department has been able to produce 23 leads in cases they may not have otherwise.
Sgt. Alison Braughton with Goodyear Police says, "Being able to have each individual casing, having all of those unique variations to it and being able to match that with test-fired guns, it really does allow us to be able to solve certain gun-related crimes that really we wouldn't have any leads on if we didn't have that national database."
In fact, it was this technology that helped Phoenix police catch Cleophus Cooksey Jr. last year, linking him to at least nine murders.
Sgt. Braughton adds, "It is a very crucial law enforcement tool. And, when smaller agencies are able to work with some of the larger agencies in sharing and utilizing this really awesome technology it does help all of us try to solve gun-related crimes."
It cuts time as well -- what used to take weeks may now only take a few hours to help solve a crime and make our community safer.
