NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is establishing a field office in Newport News.
Agents from this bureau investigate and enforce federal laws about the use of these controlled substances. They also identify and dismantle gangs and any groups that have ties to violent crime.
According to a Monday report, the Newport News office will alleviate pressure from the Norfolk ATF field office, which previously was handling all cases on the Southside as well as the Peninsula. That meant the Norfolk office covered a jurisdiction that spanned 2,600 miles and was divided by water.
ATF Washington Special Agent in Charge, Ashan Benedict, said this new office could improve response times for the bureau.
"While our Norfolk Field Office did an outstanding job allocating resources where and when needed, the one aspect we couldn't control was the challenge of providing a timely response across two separate and distinct areas - each with high levels of firearm and violent crime," he wrote.
The bureau said this new facility "will house a task force consisting of officers from the Newport News Police Department, the Hampton Police Division, and the Newport News Sheriff’s Office." That's alongside the usual ATF special agents.
Howard Gwynn, the Newport News Commonwealth's Attorney, said the ATF office would be a welcome presence in the city.
"Drugs, gangs and guns are a very serious problem in Newport News," he wrote.
Anton Bell, the Hampton Commonwealth's Attorney, agreed with Gwynn that the ATF could help local law enforcement respond to violent crime.
"Their resources and expertise will be a great asset in improving the overall health and safety of our community," Bell wrote.