Milwaukee Police Department Launches 'Operation Save-A-Casing'

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin – Last week the Milwaukee Police Department announced the rollout of Operation Save-A-Casing. The program is a partnership between the community and the police department to address the increase in firearm thefts from vehicles and residential burglaries.

The voluntary program calls on community members to collect two spent casings. If their firearm is reported lost or stolen, they will be asked to place the two casings in the “Save-A-Casing” envelope and fill out the required information. The investigating officer will take custody of the envelope containing the two casings and will complete a Consent to Search Authorization form indicating consent to enter the casings into the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS) and provide the community member with a receipt for the property.

Community members also have the option of providing two spent shell casings without their firearm being lost or stolen. In this instance, the community member will fill out the envelope and be provided a Save-A-Casing receipt. A photo copy of the receipt will be conveyed, along with the casings, to the Fusion Division for storage. A consent form does not need to be completed until such time that the firearm is lost/stolen and the casings would be entered into IBIS. Casings can only be entered into the system when the firearm was reported as lost or stolen.

Each district has Operation Save-A-Casing envelopes. Posters are displayed in the district lobby with a QR code. This QR code links to the MPD Save-A-Casing website - https://mkepdpio.org/home/save-a-casing/ describing the program, and also includes a short video on the program and FAQ’s.

In the summer of 2022, The Milwaukee Police Department will be acquiring its second National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) machine. NIBIN equipment is used to correlate spent bullet cartridges and connect them to other crimes and firearms. This equipment has been extremely valuable in connecting criminal offenses to suspects and that information has been used to successfully prosecute the same suspects. The Milwaukee Police Department is also exploring grant funding to increase staffing committed to NIBIN investigations and develop additional leads.

"We encourage all gun owning residents to participate in the Save-A-Casing program and be 'Part of the Solution.' We truly are 'Better Together,' " the Milwaukee Police Department wrote in a statement.

Information provided by the Milwaukee Police Department.