OPELOUSAS, La. (KLFY)- Opelousas Police Chief Martin McClendon said he is cracking down on the violence in Opelousas.

“We are going to put them to a stop,” the chief said. “We are going to hunt them down and bring them to justice. It’s our job.”

He says by working together as a department, they will identify individuals who chose gun violence as a solution to their problems.

Chief McClendon says he believes the violence in the city is coming from young suspects.

“Young people who are beefing with one another and they decide that the use of firearms to respond to the grievances they have against someone,” he said.

He says the end to teen violence should begin at home.

“We need to educate ourselves as parents,” the chief said. “We need to be more conscious of what they are doing when they leave home and come home.”