A crackdown on gun crime has been so successful that the mayor of Phoenix is calling on the new police chief to expand the program.

It was launched by his predecessor following a spike in shooting deaths and injuries. 

Phoenix police say they’ve seized nearly 1,200 in three months since ATF agents embedded with a special local unit to fight gun crime.

Help from federal and local prosecutors has also allowed investigators to identify suspects and arrest just over 1,100 people since early July.

The new Phoenix police chief released a statement saying Operation Gun Crime Crackdown will continue for at least another month.

The mayor called the results to a date a trend that must be built upon.