LeadsOnline Introduces a Fully Automated Cartridge Case Triage Solution to Accelerate Crime Gun Investigations with Ease and Proven Precision

IBIS ClearCase helps investigators quickly identify the number and caliber of firearms involved at a crime scene, so they can launch their investigations faster

DALLAS, October 22, 2024 – LeadsOnline, a premier provider of data, technology, and intelligence tools for law enforcement agencies, has introduced a new ballistic analysis tool. IBIS ClearCase is a fully automated system that streamlines the triage of cartridge casings collected from a crime scene. Within minutes, the solution can:

 Capture exhibit images and location data at the crime scene

• Determine the number and caliber of firearms used in the incident
• Identify the ideal casings for submission to the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) managed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

ClearCase is built on the same proven algorithms used by IBIS (Integrated Ballistic Identification System), the world’s leading ballistic identification technology, so it ensures the ideal candidates are submitted to NIBIN to then generate the most reliable leads. Drawing on this same technology and decades of expertise, results from ClearCase are fast, unbiased and reliable so investigators can establish and pursue leads more quickly to get crime guns and their users off the street.

Firearm-related offenses committed in the United States in 2023 totaled 362,348, according to information collected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Crime Data Explorer. And the rise of machine-gun conversion devices (MCDs) has led to a significant increase in the number of rounds fired at crime scenes. These investigations depend on the swift processing of evidence, especially cartridge cases.

But the current process for triaging casings for submission to NIBIN is predominantly manual and reliant on the availability of trained technicians. Furthermore, some cartridge cases can’t be triaged until other evidence—DNA, fingerprints and gunshot residue (GSR)—is processed, which can take weeks or even months. This lag time means offenders remain at large with the ability to shoot again.

“IBIS ClearCase addresses the challenges of modern law enforcement—more shootings and an increasing volume of recovered cartridge casings—by providing an automated solution that generates quick, reliable investigative leads without waiting on firearm technicians, who are overburdened, to perform subjective and manual analysis,” explains Thomas Brandon, former acting director of the ATF and vice president of business development and government affairs for LeadsOnline. 

One early tester of the new technology had an active investigation stemming from a drive-by shooting in July 2024 and had been waiting on ballistic results for nearly three months. In one hour, the detective ran the 60 fired cartridge casings (FCCs) through ClearCase, which identified four unique firearms. With that information, he could begin pursuing the guns used in the incident.

“IBIS ClearCase was designed to complement the ATF’s highly successful NIBIN program by reducing ballistic analysis backlogs, while also enabling law enforcement to get simple but essential answers faster regarding their ballistic evidence,” said Alex Finley, CEO of LeadsOnline. “The system is easy to use and doesn’t require specialized training, yet it produces immediate and reliable investigative insights so leads can be pursued and cycles of violence disrupted. It also supports workflows to preserve trace evidence, such as DNA and fingerprints, keeping investigations moving and enabling lab technicians to focus their time on hit confirmation and other critical activities.”

ClearCase’s key features and benefits include:

• Ease of use, no specialized training required to triage cartridge casings from a crime scene and integrate the exhibits into existing workflows for evidence processing
• Mobile app for iOS and Android to take photos of casings at the scene, including each exhibit’s location via GPS
• NFC tags for quickly and correctly logging exhibits through the app; optional sterile tubes and tamperproof seals available to preserve DNA and other trace evidence
• Stationary acquisition unit for law enforcement agency or lab environments, with an intuitive touchscreen and infinite-loop carousel to process an unlimited number of casings
• Detailed, high-resolution 3D imaging of all collected casings with data processing based on the same advanced algorithms used by IBIS
• Summary of results indicating the number of firearms and calibers in addition to the ideal candidates to submit to NIBIN; detailed report in PDF format includes a visual overview of the entire incident based on the GPS data
• Integration with the other investigative solutions that are part of the LeadsOnline platform to advance more cases faster from the crime scene to the courtroom

ClearCase is sold as a solution-as-a-service for an annual fee.

About LeadsOnline

LeadsOnline is a trusted provider of data intelligence and ballistic analysis tools to U.S. and global law enforcement agencies. The company’s investigative solutions make it possible to find people, property and patterns in criminal cases and regularly prove instrumental in solving a range of crimes—from missing property and people to gun and violent crime. LeadsOnline’s ballistic solutions include IBIS, the leading technology used to power ballistic identification networks around the globe. Founded in 2000, the company now serves more than 5,000 U.S. law enforcement agencies and global public safety organizations in nearly 80 countries. LeadsOnline is headquartered in Plano, Texas, and Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

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