New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez and Doña Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart announced the placement of a National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) machine with the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, according to a recent statement. The addition is part of a statewide network aimed at improving information gathering and intelligence analytics by connecting gun casings from crime scenes using advanced technology.
“Today’s announcement of a NIBIN machine in Doña Ana County represents a significant step forward in our statewide effort to solve gun crimes more quickly and hold violent offenders accountable,” Attorney General Raúl Torrez said. “This technology strengthens local investigations, enhances coordination across jurisdictions, and ensures that law enforcement agencies in southern New Mexico have the tools they need to protect our communities.”
Doña Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart said, “Having easier access to a NIBIN site in southern New Mexico reflects a shared commitment among law enforcement agencies to work smarter, faster and more collaboratively. By leveraging this technology, we can identify links between shootings, share actionable intelligence, recover critical investigative leads and build on regional trust that ultimately makes our communities safer. This is real time crime fighting.”
In December 2025, Torrez announced the first Crime Gun Intelligence Center housed within an attorney general’s office in the country. The New Mexico Department of Justice’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center now uses forensic evidence to find connections between firearms used in crimes across the state. Since January 1, partner agencies have entered over 250 ballistic acquisitions into the NIBIN system, with weekly submission rates increasing at all active sites. CGIC intelligence products have linked ten firearms to 24 separate shooting incidents statewide.
The NMDOJ has received funding for four NIBIN machines located with sheriff’s offices or police departments in Doña Ana County, Gallup, Roswell, and San Juan County. These machines will share information via the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network with the Crime Gun Intelligence Center in Albuquerque for analysis by trained staff who will produce leads for partnering law enforcement agencies.
The New Mexico Attorney General serves as the chief legal officer for the state of New Mexico and provides services across all counties in the state according to the official website. The office seeks to protect consumers, support law enforcement efforts—including through coordination with local agencies—and uphold justice through civil litigation and criminal prosecutions while fostering trust through community outreach initiatives according to the official website. More details are available from the organization’s press release.
