NCJ Number
212970
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 32 Issue: 11 Dated: November 2005 Pages: 46,48-49,52,55
Date Published
November 2005
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article describes the development and capabilities of BATS (Bomb Arson Tracking System).
Abstract
Maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the BATS is the first nationwide, secure database for arson- and explosives-related incidents and boasts approximately 919 individual investigator and 616 agency users. Prior to BATS, data on arson and explosives-related incidents were reported on the local level and then filtered to the State and from there on to the Federal level. BATS, which offers an Internet-accessible database system for State, local, and Federal law enforcement agencies, allows investigators to input information on arsons and explosions directly into the database, as well as search the database under several fields. Version 2 of BATS, which was released in November 2004, has the additional capability of capturing vehicle information and allowing attachments, such as images and document files, to be appended to files. Future improvements will include the addition of mapping functions and more reporting and data query tools. While BATS is available to all law enforcement agencies, currently only Federal agencies are required to post their reports in BATS. Enrollment information for BATS is presented.