Between May and September authorities put gang members behind bars and recovered drugs and firearms. Syracuse police did it with the help from their partners from state and federal agencies.  Iris St. Meran has more about this anti-gang task force called Operation Salt City.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler said being understaffed is a challenge for police departments around the country including right here in the Salt City -- and they were busy this summer, 11 people were shot during the July 4th holiday.

Assistance, however, came from troopers and marshals as part of a gang violence task force called Operation Salt City.

"They made 248 arrests and recovered 22 handguns," said Fowler.

This took place between May and September. As part of this effort, authorities also recovered $237,000 as well as drugs including heroin, cocaine and marijuana with a street value estimated at $44,000. Syracuse Truce is another anti-gang initiative already in effect. Fowler said one helps the other as Truce focuses on deterrence.

Success came with collaboration but the task force also focused on areas of the city that had increased violence.

"The citizens of the city of Syracuse deserve to not only feel safe, but be safe not matter what neighborhood they live in," said U.S. Marshal David McNulty.

Operation Salt City was a federally funded initiative.

"My role going forward is going to be to make sure these things continue to get properly funded,” said Rep. John Katko, a former federal prosecutor.

Fowler said the gang task force will continue its work even if that funding isn't available. Their efforts however, don't stop at putting someone behind bars. The goal is to focus attention of kids before gangs even become an option.

"Until we go back and start addressing it from the age of 6 to 16, we're still going to have 16-year-olds picking up guns and deciding to use them," Fowler said.

"The bigger picture is, what are the root causes of crime and problems with education? When you have a 50 percent graduation rate in high schools in the city of Syracuse, you're going to have high crime rates, period," said Katko.

Katko said in addition to finding federal dollars to fund these initiatives, he'll also focus on poverty because there is a correlation between poverty and crime, particularly here in Syracuse.