Exclusive: Local law enforcement officials urge Senate to confirm Biden’s ATF director

WASHINGTON — A group of more than 100 law enforcement leaders on Tuesday endorsed President Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the White House said, bolstering the nominee less than a week after his Senate confirmation hearing.

The endorsements of Steve Dettelbach, a former U.S. attorney whom Biden nominated in April, include a mix of police chiefs, sheriffs, and district attorneys, including former New York City Police Commissioner Bill Bratton and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey.

Dettelbach is seeking to become only the second person confirmed by the Senate to lead ATF, and the first since former ATF Director B. Todd Jones in 2013. His nomination has received extra attention since the mass shootings this month in Buffalo, which left 10 dead, and Uvalde, Texas, which killed 19 children and two adults, dual tragedies that have reignited a national debate about limiting access to firearms and other ways to reduce gun-related violence.

“To truly fulfill its mission, ATF needs a strong leader, but it’s been nearly a decade since we’ve had a Senate-confirmed director at the agency,” the law enforcement leaders wrote in a letter addressed to the leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “There is an urgent need for leadership that can bring the agency into the 21st Century and be the partner we need in this urgent moment. We are confident that Steve Dettelbach is the right person to lead the agency and should be confirmed immediately.”

ATF director became a Senate-confirmed position in 2006. Dettlebach appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation hearing on Wednesday of last week.

Among the Dettelbach endorsers was former Miami Police Chief Art Acevedo, who last year was fired after a string of controversies, including saying that the city was controlled by the “Cuban mafia.” Acevedo has also served as chief of the Austin and Houston police departments.

Biden was forced last year to withdraw his initial nominee to lead ATF, David Chipman, after he failed to receive enough support in the Senate for confirmation. The decision angered some gun-control advocates, who argued the White House did not do enough to defend their pick.

But Dettlebach has received a slate of endorsements, including from more than 100 mayors and the National Sheriffs’ Association, and White House officials argue the support from law enforcement officials shows his nomination has only gained momentum since his confirmation hearing.

In their letter, in fact, the group of law enforcement leaders cited Dettelbach’s testimony, in addition to his experience and character, as proof that he “is the right person to lead the dedicated professionals at the ATF.”