ATF outlines priorities, engages law enforcement partners at IACP conference

ORLANDO, Fla. — Senior leaders from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined law enforcement officials from across the country and abroad during the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Orlando Oct. 24-27. The four-day event brought together thousands of police executives, offering ATF a unique opportunity to highlight agency priorities, discuss emerging challenges, and reinforce longstanding partnerships to combat violent crime.

Led by Director Rob Cekada, ATF officials participated in multiple committee meetings focused on firearms, explosives, and law enforcement partnerships. Between sessions, they met individually with dozens of police chiefs, sheriffs, task force leaders, and international partners to discuss shared missions and operational needs.

Throughout those engagements, three themes consistently emerged:

ATF’s focus: Combating violent crime

Cekada reaffirmed that ATF’s central focus remains on countering violent crime by dismantling the individuals and criminal networks responsible for the unlawful use of firearms and explosives and for committing acts of arson. He also expressed appreciation for the Justice Department for providing the tools and support necessary to protect American communities.

“Our criminal enforcement mission must always be carried out while upholding the constitutional rights of law‑abiding Americans, especially those protected under the Second Amendment,” Cekada said. “ATF would only investigate a federal firearms licensee when there is evidence that they are in some way contributing to violent crime.”

Cekada also underscored the role of joint task forces, community engagement, and data‑driven strategies in addressing the evolving dynamics of gun violence in cities and rural communities across America.

Spotlight on eTrace: A critical intelligence tool for partners

A major point of discussion was eTrace, ATF’s secure, web‑based firearms tracing system, which enables law enforcement worldwide to identify a firearm’s manufacturer, its original purchaser, and potential trafficking patterns to end up at a crime scene.

In 2025, ATF conducted traces for approximately 674,000 firearms recovered at crime scenes on behalf of local, state and federal law enforcement partners, Cekada said.

“Tracing a firearm is a time‑consuming manual process,” Cekada said. “And despite what the critics suggest, there is no federal registry of gun owners to avoid the tedious task of searching for paperwork from specific firearms transactions.”

More than 10,000 law enforcement agencies across 52 countries have access to eTrace. Investigators can use trace information to identify potential shooters and gun traffickers and can also analyze violent gun crime trends in the United States and abroad. According to recent trace data, pistols remain the type of firearm most commonly associated with violent crime.

National Firearms Act: Updated transfer guidance

ATF recently issued guidance on how the agency will apply certain provisions of the National Firearms Act as it pertains to the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law in 2025. Cekada said his goal was to “provide a good path for the law to apply to all law-abiding Americans allowed to possess or manufacture a firearm.”

While the National Firearms Act remains in effect, ATF clarified that it will not enforce certain NFA approval, registration, tax-stamp and related requirements for short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, suppressors (silencers), and certain other concealable firearms classified under the law as “any other weapons.” Cekada emphasized that the updated guidance is intended to ensure lawful firearm owners understand their responsibilities while maintaining tools necessary to disrupt criminal misuse of NFA‑regulated items.