FLORENCE — Alabama law enforcement officers from seven counties across the Northern District of Alabama recently attended training in Florence, according to a press release.

The training was conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and Explosives on prosecution of cases involving firearms and drugs in federal and state court, constitutional protections concerning search warrants, arrests and trials, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office Prosecutor-to Prosecutor Program, or P3.

Police officers from Athens also attended the training, according to a spokesperson.

“It was gratifying to see law enforcement officers from so many different agencies and counties, from all across our district, come together to hear about all of the ways our office is ready, willing and able to prosecute, and remove criminals from our neighborhoods,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Bob Becher.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office provided an update for police officers, sheriffs and district attorneys on individual protections provided by the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth amendments of the U.S. Constitution and an explanation of P3.

The Fourth Amendment guarantees the right of individuals to be free from unreasonable search and seizure.

The Fifth Amendment in criminal cases provides the right to a grand jury, forbids double jeopardy, and protects against self-incrimination.

The Sixth Amendment protects the rights of criminal defendants, including the right to a public trial without unnecessary delay, the right to counsel and the right to an impartial jury.

The Sixth Amendment also guarantees defendants the right to know the nature of the charges and evidence against them, and who their accusers are.

P3 is a six-step process by which state and federal prosecutors jointly determine whether a criminal case should be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The “P3 Overlay” identifies state and federal criminal statutes with similar elements.

Common elements that could trigger federal prosecution include use of a firearm, crossing of state lines, use of phones or internet to commit a crime, or victimizing an institution that is federally regulated or insured, or that receives federal grant funds.

P3 is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s centerpiece program for fighting violent crime.

PSN and P3 both underscore the need to target the worst offenders in the worst areas of crime in order to reduce violence.

ATF provided training on the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, a national database of digital images of spent bullets, shell casings, and cartridge cases that were found at crime scenes or test-fired from confiscated weapons.

The ATF manages the system and provides the equipment to crime labs around the country.

There are NIBIN machines in many areas in Alabama, including Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery.