The Dallas Police Department is turning to an old strategy to reduce violent crime.
Late Thursday a department-wide email was sent out calling for applicants to join a temporary assignment called Operation Disruption.
The team will be made up of one sergeant and 10 officers who will be deployed to some of Dallas' roughest neighborhoods.
"This unit will work in hot spots throughout the city in conjunction with the Gang Unit, Fugitive Unit and Narcotics to reduce violent crime. The officers will focus on the department’s strategy of reducing violent crime through enforcement of Gangs, Guns and Drugs," the email said.
After two shootings Friday afternoon some Dallas residents said the operation cannot start soon enough.
"It's hell," said Kierra Wilson, as she watched homicide detectives investigate the fatal shooting of her friend, Ced.
The still unidentified 19-year-old was killed in the 3000 block of Groveview.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Wilson said his murder came just a few days after another one of her friends was shot and killed.
It's why she hopes Operation Disruption comes into her neighborhood.
"There's a lot of activity around here, gang activity," Wilson said. "This is where I lay my head at. I would want to see somebody come out here and just check on us or have patrol or do something."
Operation Disruption is not new. Former Chief David Kunkle used it to reduce crime during his tenure as chief.
In 2016 former Chief David Brown introduced similar efforts like the Violent Crime Task Force and Operation Next Gear.
Officers flooded high crime areas in the spring and summer, making hundreds of arrests, seizing hundreds of guns, and recovering a large amount of drugs.
Residents hope the operation can be just as successful now as it was then.
"We feel like nobody is watching crime over here," said Maddison Davis. "We feel unprotected and that's not okay."
Dallas Police would not say when the operation would start and where officers would be deployed.
The deadline for officers to apply to be a part of the special unit is next Wednesday.
