On the Job 

The attorney general’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy have launched a series of training videos to further educate the state’s law enforcement officers on the use of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network.

NIBIN is an automated ballistic-imaging tool that allows for the comparison of fired cartridge cases in order to link crimes involving the same firearm.

The videos were produced to coincide with a major rollout of additional NIBIN equipment at three BCI labs, an expansion that greatly increases local law enforcement’s access to the technology.
BCI now has five additional NIBIN stations online — a second unit in Richfield and two new units each at BCI labs in London (Madison County) and Bowling Green (Wood County).

Two of the three videos in the NIBIN series are finished and available through the OPOTA Online portal, under the “Roll Call Refreshers” catalog.

The first video describes policies and best practices for NIBIN and explains how to collect and submit evidence. The second illustrates how to properly swab firearms for DNA evidence. The third training video, about following up on NIBIN leads, will be released in the coming weeks.

Each course counts for 0.25 credits toward the 24-hour Continuing Professional Training (CPT) requirement. The courses, which can be completed in 15 minutes or less, are designed to be fully compatible with mobile devices.

The OPOTA portal can be accessed at https://opota.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/.