National_Ballistics_Intelligence_Service
National Ballistics Intelligence Service
UK intelligence service for firearm-related criminality
The National Ballistics Intelligence Service, or NABIS, is a British intelligence service dedicated to managing and providing detailed information regarding firearm-related criminality. The service aims to use its database to store ballistics information about police cases involving firearms, and consequently maintain it for future use and reference.[1] The service operates four facilities to test and analyse firearms evidence to help link it with other cases.[2] These are based in Birmingham, London,Manchester and at Gartcosh in the Scottish Crime Campus in the town.[3]
The service was officially launched on 1 April 2008[4] and can be roughly compared to the Integrated Ballistics Identification System operating in the United States.
Four regional forensic hubs operate within four host forces/organisations: Greater Manchester Police (GMP), West Midlands Police (WMP), Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and the Glasgow unit of SPA Forensic Services.[5] The staff are around 40 in number.[6]