DALLAS — Dallas Police Department's (DPD) newly formed PNI Violent Crime Task Force Unit is taking a record-breaking number of guns and drugs off the streets.
WFAA went along with the PNI team and Dallas SWAT as they raided several apartment complexes.
"We got fentanyl, crack, cocaine, marijuana, guns, various other narcotics. It was a good hit for us today,” said DPD Sgt. George Aranda.
PNI was created by DPD Chief Eddie Garcia to target the four highest crime areas in the city. They are focused on guns, drugs and gangs.
“For every drug house that they hit with weapons and drugs. There are aggravated assaults and murders that were stopped because of that,” said Garcia.
One resident who watched the raid unfold said he welcomes the officers.
“I mean, it’s a good thing to get some of these bad people out of here," the resident said.
The PNI Unit is made up of 32 officers.
In one case, they found more than $100,000 in cash and machine guns. So far, the unit has made 112 arrests, found 78 weapons and five machine gun converters.
"It’s having a direct impact on violent crime and aggravated assault and the property etc. Those are the individuals that we are targeting,” said Aranda.
The unit executed three warrants on Thursday, July 6, simultaneously on Highland Drive and Stoney Creek Drive in Dallas. Allen Police raided a place on Greenfield Lane. Both were a part of a three-month investigation into a major drug operation.
"And having PNI teams in specific hot spot areas in the city has absolutely reduced crime,” said Garcia.
Garcia said overall violent crime is down more than 13% from this same time last year, and aggravated assaults non-family violence are down 16%. Garcia hopes to drive it down more with operations like these.