BROOKHAVEN, GA — The Brookhaven Police Department is earning praise for its innovative use of technology to solve violent crimes, including shootings and homicides, both within the city and across metro Atlanta.

The department has been recognized by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for its use of a ballistic information network that helps investigators develop leads more quickly.

Lieutenant Corey Van Alen said the system allows investigators to compare shell casings and firearms evidence in-house, cutting analysis times dramatically.

“What used to take potentially months to even a year to analyze this evidence, we’re able to review this data and evidence in-house, and get results extremely quickly,” Van Alen explained.

Since launching the program in April, Brookhaven police have processed more than 120 shell casings across nearly 100 cases. That work has already generated 26 investigative leads.

In one case, investigators linked three separate shootings involving juveniles to a single firearm, which helped identify suspects. The system also connected a Brookhaven homicide to an aggravated assault in Norcross, as well as cases in DeKalb County and Atlanta, even tying evidence to a 2016 homicide.

“This piece of technology truly enhances the safety in our community,” Van Alen said. “It allows our investigators to link cases, identify offenders, get dangerous offenders off the streets, and remove these guns as well.”

Officials say the program is funded entirely through grants and is part of the only interstate, automated ballistics network in the U.S.

WSB’s Bill Caiaccio contributed to this story