Flint Police Chief James Tolbert speaks to the media after police were called to the scene of a homicide on Witherbee street on Wednesday evening, May 27, 2015 near the Dort Community School building in North Flint.

FLINT, MI -- A rash of violence in Flint over the past week that left several people injured and two men dead has sparked the police chief to look at a federal partnership to get guns off the street.

Flint Police Chief James Tolbert said the department is going to examine "time-to-crime" -- meaning from the time a weapon is reported stolen or purchased, and how fast it comes into police possession as an instrument used in a crime. Tolbert said the department is looking into a partnership with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the effort.

Tolbert explained that once police can determine the time-to-crime, they will then look at the history of the weapon and how it came into the possession of the individual who used it. He said some guns end up on the streets through a burglary and then sold illegally, or through a straw purchase. A straw purchase is any purchase where one person agrees to acquire goods or services for another person who is unable or unwilling to buy the goods.

"We start going after those individuals, the burglars or the persons who gave the straw purchases, and now you cut it off at the head, and you don't have to worry about that gun getting out," Tolbert said.

Time-to-crime isn't a new idea for the city of Flint. Tolbert said it is something the department has always done, but now he plans to devote more time and manpower to the initiative.

"It's very manpower- and labor-intensive, but it's something that we're gonna have to do because you can't control that individual. For instance, if someone is a straw purchaser or somebody makes their living selling weapons on the street, that's the guy who is selling to many people," Tolbert said. "So maybe if you go and look at the ability to drill down to how the guns get on the street, maybe that might be another way to attack it as a whole instead of trying to get them off the street one-by-one."

ATFE Resident Agent in Charge of the Flint Field Office Alan Jakubowski said he will be meeting with Tolbert this week to hash out the details. He said the ATFE and Flint police have a strong partnership.

"ATF and Flint PD have a great working relationship and we continue to work together to investigate gun-related violence." Jakubowski said.

The streak of violence started Friday, May 22, after a triple shooting left James Willie Doshie Jr., a 17-year-old, dead after an incident at Atherton East Apartments. One other man and a woman were hospitalized.

Around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23, another man was shot multiple times at Brother's Food Market on Saginaw Street during a carjacking. A man wearing all black took off southbound on Saginaw in the 2004 Kia Sorento. The victim was listed in critical condition.

Two men have been charged and arraigned in a shooting at Southwestern Academy that left seven people injured Sunday, May 24, around 2 a.m.

Another early Sunday morning shooting that occurred near the intersection of Gillespie and Industrial avenues left a man in critical condition. The shooting took place shortly after the one in the school parking lot, police said, but appears to be unrelated.

Then on Wednesday, May 27, Jermaine Moore, 35, was shot and killed Wednesday, May 27, around 8:40 p.m. near the intersection of Avenue A and East Witherbee Street. Flint Police Chief James Tolbert said investigators believe Moore was shot during a dispute over a parking spot.

Tauteece Shrylle McCaskill, 37, turned herself in to face charges she helped a man escape police after the fatal shooting at a vigil Wednesday night. Police are still looking for 37-year-old Dominick Doneille Wright, who is facing a count of open murder, three counts of assault with intent to murder, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, carrying a concealed weapon and second offense felony firearm.

Police also plan to crack down on after-hour gatherings in the city, as well as looking into a possible ban to keep people from congregating late at night on Flint schools property.

Amanda Emery is a police reporter for MLive-Flint Journal. Contact her at aemery@mlive.com or 810-285-0792. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook.