Columbus Police, ATF Target Violent Crime in Operation D.I.R.E.C.T. Pressure

Staff Report

A two-month law enforcement operation targeting violent crime hotspots in Columbus resulted in 65 arrests and the seizure of dozens of firearms, authorities announced.

Operation D.I.R.E.C.T. Pressure (Data Initiated Response to Elevated Crime Trends), led by the Columbus Police Department (CPD) in partnership with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia, ran from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30, 2024.

Authorities said the initiative used ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to analyze crime data and identify high-risk areas, leading to the execution of three search warrants and a total of 180 charges against suspects.

Seized Firearms and Ammunition

• 28 firearms seized or purchased by ATF, including two Glock switches, a short-barrel shotgun, and two suspected suppressors.
• 21 firearms seized by CPD, including one sawed-off shotgun.
• 2,239 rounds of ammunition confiscated.
• One set of body armor recovered.

Drug Seizures

• ATF recovered 7.5 pounds of methamphetamine, 320 grams of marijuana, four grams of cocaine, and 398 grams of fentanyl.
• CPD seized 1,408.6 grams of marijuana, 105.9 grams of methamphetamine, 43.1 grams of fentanyl, 14.9 grams of cocaine, 0.2 grams of heroin, 137.5 grams of ecstasy, and 71 grams of psilocybin.

The operation was launched in response to increasing violent crime in Columbus, particularly in the East Wynnton, North Highlands, and Baker Plaza neighborhoods. According to CPD data from Jan. 1, 2023, to May 22, 2024, the city saw:

• 60 murders
• 513 reports of shots fired
• 3,876 shootings and aggravated assaults
• 170 arrests of felons in possession of firearms
• 1,206 firearms recovered and traced

“This operation represents a significant step in our ongoing efforts to combat violent crime in Columbus,” CPD Chief Stoney Mathis said. “By targeting high-crime areas, we have removed dangerous criminals, illegal firearms, and drugs from our streets, making Columbus a safer place for everyone.”

Officials credited collaboration among local, state, and federal agencies for the operation’s success and said they remain committed to using data-driven enforcement strategies to curb violent crime.