What is purpose of ATF's 'forward trace initiative'?

March 27, 10:27 AMGun Rights ExaminerDavid Codrea

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A source with firearms industry connections sent me the following ATF Open Letter. My source has always been credible in the past, but I always try to get corroboration. I have attempted to get clarification directly from ATF with no response, so I am attempting to verify it independently. Perhaps you can help.

Here is what I sent ATF:


And here is the letter:

OPEN LETTER TO FEDERAL FIREARMS LICENSEES REGARDING ATF’S FORWARD TRACE INITIATIVE

I would like to take this opportunity to describe the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) nationwide forward trace initiative. As you know, Federal law, 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44, requires Federal firearms licensees (FFLs) to maintain and make available certain records for inspection by ATF. Among those required records are the acquisition and disposition (A&D) book and ATF Forms 4473 for sales of firearms to individuals. Verifying this information is critical to our mission of protecting the public as it is the starting point for a FFL retailer accounting for firearms received. Through partnerships with and the continued cooperation of the firearms community, the forward trace initiative was implemented by ATF to ensure firearms are properly accounted for by FFL retailers.

The program focuses on types of firearms that are diverted by the criminal element from legal commerce. ATF Industry Operations Investigators (IOI’s) will visit manufacturers and ask for their assistance by identifying specific firearms makes and models and ask for the name of the distributor to whom they were sold. We then “follow the gun” to the eventual retailer. Any information requested by ATF IOIs as part of this program does not presume any wrongdoing by those firearms industry members contacted but simply will be used as a tool to ensure accountability for firearms received by FFL retailers. Cooperation by the industry with our forward trace requests is voluntary and not considered an ATF inspection under Federal law and regulations.

Industry members supplying any information are requested by ATF not to initiate any action as a result of our inquiry because it could potentially impact any ATF inspection or investigative effort. As always, if a manufacturer, importer or distributor has concerns regarding any retailer they should contact the nearest ATF office for assistance. Our continued open dialogue and partnership with the firearms industry makes for a safer America.

"Forward trace initiative"? Is that anything like the "Department of PreCrime"?

I can see several problems with this right off the bat. This opens the door for all kinds of fishing expeditions. And how is a company that depends on compliance (to often arbitrary or unwritten "standards") with ATF for its survival reasonably supposed to be able to refuse "voluntary cooperation"--and then not fear repercussions? How is that not extortion?

Their "continued open dialogue and partnership" notwithstanding, it's not like the agency doesn't have a well-understood and feared reputation for finding paperwork glitches and trying to destroy people's livelihoods.

And it's not like they haven't been doing an end run around Congressional database registry restrictions by accumulating data at the gun store level--for years. When they take the "voluntarily"-provided information with them to the gun store, will the store owner's compliance also be "voluntary"? And how about when the agents show up at your door?

Then understand that agency directives are executed in support of overall goals established by Eric Holder's Justice Department, a wholly-owned subsidiary of "the most anti-gun president in American history." And ask how all this would tie in with their desire to use Mexican drug cartel violence (even though the heavy firepower is coming from Central America) to go after U.S. dealers, and modify U.S. gun laws?

What's going on here? Anything? Will ATF reply and disavow any involvement with the open letter? Is it a hoax?

Inquiring minds want to know.

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Speaking of Mexico and U.S. guns...

Cleveland GRE Daniel White has a timely piece. See "Mainstream media blaming U.S. for Mexico's drug wars, U.S. citizens not buying it".