INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has spent the past several weeks targeting domestic violence offenders in a two-part plan to cut the city’s crime rate.

Two IMPD operations led to a sweeping arrest of 40 criminals that focused on domestic violence and broken probations. In addition, over 1,000 grams of narcotics, and over a dozen guns were seized. 

Police nabbed 20 violent offenders with active warrants for domestic violence in the past week in what was called Operation Domestic Disruption. Police have taken part in the operator for the past four years.

Deputy Chief Kendale Adams said, “They’re domestic was a serious domestic, not a simple battery, but a serious domestic that involved a gun, strangulation or anyone of those. That’s why it’s important that those individuals were prioritized”

IMPD Lt. Nick Andrews spoke about the importance of focusing on domestic violence. “We’ve identified those commonalities between domestic violence and violent offenses being shooting, homicides, robberies, and we’ve seen that they are the same offenders.”

Adams told I-Team 8 that crime victims included pregnant women and children, and the arrests were of egregious offenders, as he said, “the most violent of the violent.”

The operation was an attempt to interrupt domestic violence, and provide treatment and resources to victims.

“It really hit home for me when we had a homicide that was domestic-related. I started thinking, ‘What can we do?’ It’s not just enforcement that’s part of it. My detectives would tell me that victims are oftentimes reluctant to cooperate,” Adams said.

IMPD used new technology, covert surveillance and even social media in the operation. “We used social media, for example, to put pressure on offenders. We had a few offenders actually turn themselves in knowing they were wanted,” Adams said.

The police arrested 22 more people in Operation Compliance, a partnership with Marion County Community Corrections and county prosecutors. That operation seized nine guns along with meth, marijuana and cocaine from offenders who failed to comply with the terms of their release on probation.

Adams gave a warning: “If you’re on post-conviction and on GPS monitoring, the police and Marion County Community Corrections are watching.”