The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Washington Field Office announced Monday the establishment of its Newport News satellite office, giving ATF a permanent presence on the Peninsula.

Prior to the Newport News office opening, the ATF Norfolk Field Office was responsible for ATF law enforcement response on both the Peninsula as well as the south side of Hampton Roads, an area that covers approximately 2,600 miles, divided by water.

“While our Norfolk Field Office did an outstanding job allocating resources where and when needed, the one aspect we couldn’t control was the challenge of providing a timely response across two separate and distinct areas each with high levels of firearm and violent crime,” said ATF Washington Special Agent in Charge Ashan M. Benedict.“We have now taken an important step to increase our effectiveness, with enforcement groups on both sides of the river.”

“Drugs, gangs and guns are a very serious problem in Newport News,” said Howard E. Gwynn,...