Stockton has seen a big surge in homicides this year. Violent deaths are up more than 70 percent from last year at this time.
In 2012, Stockton's body count hit a record 71. The next year it dropped by more than half to 32.
In the first eight months of this year homicides have jumped to 30 with six in August alone.
Stockton Police Officer Joe Silva says the city's new Extended Enforcement Team of a dozen officers began operations this summer to try and hit the criminal hot spots.
"Whether it's probation compliance checks or just getting out and being visible and doing traffic stops and contacting these known gang members," says Silva.
Silva says the drop in homicides last year was in part due to a county-wide task force on guns and gangs.
"During that year our officers took away from the streets between 900 and 1,000 guns," he says.
Silva says the department is 100 short of the number of officers needed to patrol the streets.
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