U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces “Operation Flip the Switch” Aimed at Machinegun Conversion Devices

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Today, U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson announced "Operation Flip the Switch," an initiative targeting illegal machinegun conversion devices, colloquially known as "switches."

"The violence that we are seeing in our communities is flagrant and unacceptable," said U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona. "Machinegun conversion devices have no place in our community. Though small in size, a switch is deadly, and a lot of innocent people can be injured with one pull of the trigger. People should feel safe in their homes, neighborhoods, and public spaces. That is why we will use every tool in our toolbox to aggressively prosecute those who possess such deadly devices."

"The proliferation of machinegun conversion devices adds another, even more deadly, layer to the firearms violence in our community" said Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson. "These devices, in the wrong hands, can have catastrophic consequences. They easily convert handguns into fully automatic weapons that can fire a remarkable number of shots in a split second. They are an acute danger to our communities, illegal under federal law and a critical priority in our efforts to combat violent crime. Keeping these illegal firearms off the streets of Alabama and the citizens free from the fear of their usage is one of our highest priorities. ATF will continue to aggressively work with our partners to take these devices off the streets."

About an inch long, auto sears, most commonly known as a Glock switch, may be made of metal or plastic and can be printed on commercially available 3D printers. The device fits onto the back of a Glock and allows the user to switch between semi-automatic and fully automatic. When engaged, the switch overrides the trigger mechanism to function as a machine gun.

The National Firearms Act classifies the switch itself as a machinegun.

At Thursday's press conference, the U.S. Attorney announced that as part of Operation Flip the Switch, they are partnering with Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama to combat the proliferation of these illegal devices.

Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama will offer cash rewards for information resulting in a warrant being issued or an arrest being made of someone who possesses Glock Switches or 3D printers being used to manufacture them. To be eligible for cash rewards, tipsters must provide information to Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama. Tipsters can call 205-254-7777. Alternatively, Crime Stoppers of Metro Alabama encourages you to go to their website to submit a tip or click to download their P3 app. Tips can be submitted 24 hours a day, and all tipsters are anonymous.

Operation Flip the Switch falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.