Recent shootings in Abilene have some people worried about the rate of violent crime.

The Abilene Police Department said in order to cut down on crimes there must be a group effort.

Police plan to team up with Connecting Caring Communities, Holiday Hills Baptist Church and Stop the Violence to reach neighborhoods struggling with high crime rates.

"The reality is some of these issues, some of the root issues involved, can not be solved exclusively by law enforcement," said Abilene Police Chief Stan Standridge.

One neighborhood concerning officers is the Holiday Hills area. Last week a 12-year-old boy was shot in the head as the vehicle he was a passenger in fled the scene of what police said was a narcotics deal gone awry. The boy is now at Cook Children's Medical Center in critical condition and on life support.

Standridge said in order to create change in the neighborhood, police would need the help of residents.

"This is truly a community issue and it's going to take community investment in neighborhoods like Holiday Hills," Standridge said.  

Connecting Caring Communities said ending violence starts with relationships.

"We help promote the idea that when you know your neighbors, communities become better," said Lori Thornton, Connecting Caring Communities executive director.

Connecting Caring Communities Community Coordinator Robert Lilly said adding patrol officers to an area will not necessarily stop crime.

"Having police drive up and down the street doesn't deter it, it just pushes it underground, pushes it into another location," said Lilly.

 Police plan to meet with community activist groups Friday to strategize on how to decrease neighborhood crime.