GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Greensboro Police Department is coming up with new ways to attack violent crime.
They formed what's called the Violent Crime Reduction Team.
It's only been around since March but the department says it's already pleased with the results.
The team is made up of 32 people. You might see them in a police uniform or they'll blend in wearing plain clothes.
Their duties differ from a police officer.
Instead of responding to calls, team members respond on their own and investigate cases involving firearms.
"When a patrol officer responds to the shooting they are going to basically take a report and they solve cases but these guys take those cases along with our crimes against persons, those detectives investigate aggravated assaults and they kind of work in unison to solve the case and charge the appropriate offenders," said Capt. Anthony Price.
In other words, they dive a little deeper.
Since March, Captain Anthony Price says the team has helped reduce fire-arm crimes by 19 percent and has taken 100 illegal guns off the street.
"Several of them are stolen. Several of them are possessed by felons. They also have had a significant amount of federal cases that have been prosecuted and state prosecutions that have led to lengthy sentences. Obviously, the unit just started but they follow up on previous cases and saw them through the court system," said Capt. Price.
The team spends a lot of one-on-one talking to neighbors and witnesses.
Team leaders also work with community partners like Mothers standing up against Gun violence. A group that supports families that have lost loved ones to gun violence.
Over the weekend, we saw their work in action.
The team helped investigate a string of shootings and carjackings. Police say the suspects shot into 2 houses where kids were inside.
No one was hurt.
Two 18-year-olds and a 15-year-old have been arrested.