The springfield community has seen an increase of 131% in firearm-related homicides and the 116% increase in aggravated assaults in the springfield, missouri area since 2016

The City of Springfield, Missouri has been awarded a $700,000 Project Grant under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, a federal grant program administered by the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance. The grant will be used to establish a Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) to enhance civil rights and racial equity, increase access to justice, support crime victims, strengthen community safety, and build trust between law enforcement and the Springfield community. The CGIC will leverage national ballistic information network technology to quickly identify illegally used firearms and their sources, and effectively prosecute violent crimes. The grant will also fund collaborative efforts with community partners on violent crime prevention initiatives to serve the entire Springfield metropolitan area. The grant period runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2027.

The springfield, missouri police department (SPD) proposes to establish a crime gun intelligence center (CGIC) to enhance to promote civil rights and racial equity, increase access to justice, support crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, strengthen community safety, and build trust between law enforcement and the springfield community. The CGIC working group will be comprised of the bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives (ATF), ATF task force officers (TFOS), the spds special investigations section (SIS), the spds persons crimes section, the spds forensic evidence technician, the spds crime analysis unit (CAU), the prosecuting attorneys office, the US attorneys office, and the missouri state highway patrol crime lab. The CGIC will develop leads through national integrated ballistic information network technology to swiftly identify unlawfully used firearms and their sources, and to effectively prosecute individuals involved in violent crime. The CGIC will serve the entire springfield metropolitan area and will also take a proactive approach to reducing firearm-related crime by collaborating with community partners, such as community partnership of the ozarks and harmony house, on violent crime prevention initiatives.