PRESS RELEASE
Zero Now Network says “Track the Bullet”
A community-based anti-violence initiative
PHILADELPHIA, April 20, 2021 – Tracking ammunition was the subject of a news conference held today by the Zero Now Network, a Philadelphia-based coalition, that announced their “Track the Bullet” initiative. The network is a grassroots, community-based coalition of community activists, anti-violence activists, retired law enforcement officers, retired legislators and business people that seek and promote violence prevention solutions to the escalating gun violence in the nation.
The initiative includes two components: developing model legislation to require tracking of ammunition that can be introduced on a state and federal level, and a manufacturing/ workforce development component. The goal is to help combat unsolved crime connected to gun violence in Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the nation through the development of a system of tracking ammunition back to the purchaser.
“We are advocating for and developing a tracking system on the projectiles and the casing of the bullet that will be kept in a national database that follows the buyer,” explained Lawrence Clark, community activist and president of Cord Manufacturing, who organized the initiative. “This will streamline the process of investigating of murders and crimes that include gun violence by giving law enforcement a starting point when removing the projectile from the crime scene. This ties the buyer to the ammunition by lot and serial number as the point of origin. Ballistics testing only addresses the type of gun and bullet that was used. Track-the-Bullet will put a name to the ammunition used.”
The workforce development component includes training and hiring the unemployed to work in manufacturing the tracking number on the ammunition. The plan has the support of retired Pennsylvania State Representatives W. Curtis Thomas, Ron Waters and Harold James.
Waters, who is a member of the Black Male Community Council of Philadelphia, attended the news conference and said he is fully behind the initiative which does not interfere with Second Amendment rights. “Anything that can help stop the murders should be on the table. We have to try everything.”
James was a retired Philadelphia police officer before serving in the Pennsylvania Legislature. He also is the past president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) and Philadelphia’s Guardian Civic League, an organization of African American law enforcement officers. “I think it’s an innovative idea and I support it 100 percent. I’ll lend my assistance however I can.”
Thomas also thinks it’s an innovative approach and gave advice on moving the legislative component forward. “The Pennsylvania Uniform Firearms Law has sections on ammunition and gun manufacturing that can be amended to include tracking. The State Attorney General has oversight of that law and can institute a program to track ammunition manufactured in Pennsylvania. The Legislature can also pass a resolution that directs the state to develop a tracking system for ammunition sold or manufactured in the Commonwealth.”
Clark said the network is looking to develop a bi-partisan approach in order to move the legislation forward. “Hopefully our plan will help Pennsylvania set the bar for ammunition laws around the nation. We hope to see the legislation we’re developing introduced in other states.”
The “Track the Bullet” initiative is also supported by law enforcement officials including former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson and Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal.
Bilal issued a statement from Johnson who was not able to attend. Both Bilal and Johnson pledged their full support of the plan. Anti-violence advocacy groups like Mothers In Charge and the Unsolved Murders Project also are in support of the plan. Kimberly Kamara from the Unsolved Murders Project spoke of the murder of her son, the heart-shattering experience of claiming his body and the pain of knowing his killer has not been apprehended. “If Track the Bullet can help solve some of these murders, we should all support it.”
The Zero Now Network includes Cord Manufacturing, the Black Male Community Council of Philadelphia, DOTS: Defenders of the Streets, 10,000 Fearless, Logan Consultants, LLC and others.