The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Tuesday announced its new Web-based intelligence data base, allowing agencies to share information.
The bureau said the creation of the second version of its Bomb Arson Tracking System, or BATS 2.0, will allow federal, state and local law enforcement and bomb scene commanders to share crucial information about arson and explosives incidents around the nation.
BATS is an arson and explosives incident database for the entire Justice Department.
ATF -- the bureau retains its old acronym despite the addition of "explosives" to its title -- said it expects to see an increase in the links between arson and explosives incidents as a result of the new system.
Jurisdictional boundaries, created by legislation and state or local borders, will now be minimized, the bureau said, and participating investigative agencies can immediately share key information about arson and explosives incidents with counterparts in other states or regions.
BATS allows those agencies to share crucial intelligence and information as incidents occur.
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