U.S. Senator Jerry Moran hosted Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Director Robert Cekada in Wichita on May 18 for the grand opening of the ATF Forensic Crime Gun Intelligence Laboratory at Wichita State University. Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche also delivered remarks virtually during the event.
The new laboratory is expected to support crime gun intelligence, forensic analysis, and training efforts while offering students opportunities to work alongside law enforcement professionals in a real-world setting. “The partnership between ATF and WSU is a testament to Wichita’s leadership in advancing forensic science and bolstering the work of federal, state and local law enforcement, while giving students opportunities to gain real-world experience,” Moran said. He added: “Because of these efforts, it will not be very long before a law enforcement official across the country will be taking a fingerprint or ballistic evidence and will say, ‘send it to Kansas; send it to Wichita – that’s where they have the capabilities to help us solve this crime.’”
Located on WSU’s Innovation Campus next to other national centers such as ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Excellence and the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network National Correlation and Training Center, the facility aims to create 36 new jobs after its first year with expectations for around 100 positions within three years.
Moran has an extensive background in public service: he served seven terms representing Kansas’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives after working as a banker early in his career; he also holds an economics degree from Fort Hays State University and the University of Kansas as well as a Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law; additionally he serves on both the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry—according to his official website.
Looking ahead, organizers expect that partnerships like this one between federal agencies and academic institutions can strengthen both community safety initiatives and workforce development for future forensic scientists.
