WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) -- Violent crime is down in the city of Winston-Salem in 2024. The police department’s specialized units are a big reason why. The Violent Firearms Investigation Team, which is now in its fifth year of existence, is one of them. “Whether it’s gang unit or gun crime reduction unit, homicide, robbery, patrol. From an internal perspective, we’re the hub,” said Eli VanKuren, a detective in the unit, who’s also a federal task force officer for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Otherwise known as VFIT, the unit focuses on gun crimes where there is not a homicide. This allows them to speak directly to victims. “Our goal on the VFIT unit is to identify those most violent impact players,” said James Gerald, the sergeant over VFIT. The team gathers firearms from offenders or that were used in crimes throughout the city. They then inspect them and test fire them into a tank to collect bullets that are then entered into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. From there, they’re able to determine if the firearms have been used in other crimes. “Not only do we test fire every gun, but then we follow up on every lead that’s generated from the actual test fire,” VanKuren said. The testing is one tactic the team uses to compile what are known as link charts. Resembling a spider web, they are detailed charts linking a crime or suspects to different investigative leads such as bullets, cars or firearms. Several crimes are often solved on one chart, sometimes with a single link between them. “It allows us to connect associates to that firearm and to those criminal investigations,” Gerald said. In turn, they’re able to remove not only the firearms from the streets but the people using them as well. Today, that includes violent offenders adding components such as glock switches, or what’s federally known as a machine gun conversion device, turning semi-automatic weapons into fully automatic ones. “Somebody could easily pull this up and start letting it loose, firing 22 rounds in a matter of seconds,” VanKuren said while holding a handgun outfitted with a Glock switch. The team is now home to several detectives in addition to civilian employees. VanKuren is one of two ATF task force officers in the unit. VFIT has also helped rewrite policies while constantly training and adding new technology. There were 43 murders and 1,863 aggravated assaults in the city of Winston-Salem in 2023, according to the State Bureau of Investigation. With 2024 coming to a close, the agency hopes the final numbers for this year will be significantly lower. “You commit a violent crime here, I don’t care if you run to Virginia. I don’t care if you run to Charlotte. We’re going to come get you,” Gerald said. “We will not stop, and our jurisdiction is not limited to here because we have the means to get you.”