The acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives vowed Tuesday to help Attorney General Jeff Sessions in his fight against crimes involving firearms.
“ATF is fully committed to this priority,” Acting ATF Director Thomas Brandon said in prepared remarks to a House Judiciary subcommittee that is holding a hearing this morning.
Sessions made it clear last month that his role as attorney general is to help reduce crime and fight back against what he said is a growing level of crime.
“President Trump gave us a clear directive,” he said last month. “It’s the policy of this administration to reduce crime in America, not preside over an increase in crime, but reduce crime.”
Brandon’s prepared remarks said ATF urged the prosecution of thousands of people last year, and is prepared to do more this year.
“We focus our resources on the worst of the worst violent offenders,” he said. “In fiscal year 2016, ATF recommended more than 14,000 individual subjects for prosecution; on average, those subjects had 8.5 prior arrests and 2.2 prior convictions.”
“Many of ATF’s prosecution referrals involve gangs and other violent criminal organizations, and we work closely with our State, local and Federal partners to disrupt and dismantle these organizations,” he added.
Brandon said he serves on a task force created by Sessions on crime reduction and public safety.
“I am honored to serve on this Task Force representing the men and women of ATF, and I look forward to working with law enforcement colleagues and other experts to identify additional ways we can enhance public safety by reducing violent firearm crime,” he said.
He said ATF works closely with the firearms industry to reduce violent crime, including by inspecting federal firearms licensees.
