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GREENSBORO - In response to a spate of shootings in the city, the police department rolled out a set of new initiatives Tuesday intended to take guns off the street and reduce gun violence.

"There's no doubt about it," police Chief Tim Bellamy said at a news conference. "There's more guns on the streets and they're in the hands of younger offenders."

The overall rate of violent crime has fallen, Bellamy said, yet the number of guns seized by police continues to rise.

Since 2005, weapons seized as evidence, confiscated and found have increased every year, from 739 in 2005 to 877 in 2008, according to data provided by the police department.

Bellamy presented a 12-point strategy that identifies new practices and areas of increased emphasis intended to cut down shootings in the city.

The changes include a new policy requiring an officer to respond to every reported gunshot, to question anyone arrested in possession of an illegal firearm about where it came from, and to obtain search warrants with the aim of seizing illegal firearms.

Before, police did not always send an officer to the scene of reported firearm discharges.

In addition to new policies, the department has developed maps indicating "hot spots" for weapon discharge calls and weapons charges. The department will increase the number of officers working in these areas.

"If that's where the calls for service are, that's where the guns are," Bellamy said.

The city already has had two shooting deaths and several reports of assaults with firearms this year.

On Sunday, Dennis Hayle, 22, was shot and killed outside his apartment at 805 Homeland Ave. Two people were injured in a shooting at the same address on Jan. 17, according to police.

On Jan. 22, Octavius Wilson, 37, was shot on Phillips Avenue. He later died at a hospital. The same day, two other men were injured in shootings at 1612 E. Market St. and 705 Sparta Drive.

"The last several days haven't been a good week for Greensboro," Bellamy said.

Bellamy emphasized that police need Greensboro residents to help them by reporting crime.

Other points Bellamy presented include:

• Working with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to identify where firearms are coming from and taking appropriate enforcement actions.
• Identifying people on probation and parole who live in "hot spots."
• Identifying and aggressively pursuing people wanted for weapons violations and getting information from them.
• Reviewing "hot spots" quarterly and adjusting if necessary.

"Most of the strategies don't have a cost attached," Bellamy said. "It's just manpower-intensive."

Contact Sonja Elmquist at 373-7090 or sonja.elmquist@news-record.com