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National Ballistics Intelligence Service

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National Ballistics Intelligence Service
Agency overview
Formed2008
Headquarters
Websitenabis.police.uk

The National Ballistics Intelligence Service (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][2] The service operates four facilities to test and analyse firearms evidence to help link it with other cases. 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][permanent dead link] and can be roughly compared to the ATF in the United States.

NABIS is an independent national policing organisation that is hosted by West Midlands Police (WMP) for financial and legal purposes.[5] 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.[6] The staff are around 40 in number.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. Markham, Matt (November 2017). "The role of NABIS" (PDF). police.uk. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  2. "Database to boost gun crime fight". BBC News. 10 March 2008. Archived from the original on 14 March 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  3. "Hubs". National Ballistics Intelligence Service. Archived from the original on 11 April 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  4. "GNN - Government News Network". gnn.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 October 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. "Our structure". NABIS. Archived from the original on 18 December 2025. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  6. "About Us". NABIS. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  7. "Tracking firearms". The Economist. 3 October 2013. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
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