The Greenville County Firearms Laboratory formally began operation in 2001. The unit is currently staffed with one firearms examiner and a NIBIN technician, who are responsible for handling the majority of firearm related casework in the upstate of South Carolina.

The primary services offered by the Firearms Laboratory include firearm operability/function testing, firearm comparisons, serial number restorations, distance determinations, and operation of NIBIN (National Integrated Ballistic Information Network) in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Currently there are five other NIBIN sites in the state of South Carolina operated by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Myrtle Beach Police Department, Charleston Sheriff’s Office, and Charleston Police Department.

The forensic science discipline of Firearms Identification has been studied for over one hundred years and is continually being researched. The main responsibilities of a Firearm Examiner are to function test firearms and examine ammunition components. The NIBIN technician’s main role is to acquire cartridge case images into a national database which can aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. The combined efforts of these two forensic scientists can provide investigators with insight into how many firearms were used at a shooting scene, the type of firearm used, and leads that link firearms between different shootings.