The task force was formed in response to a spike in carjackings in 2017 — during which time there were more than 1,000 carjackings in the city. Through April 19, 232 carjackings were recorded in the city, two more than during the same period in 2017, police statistics show. During the same period in 2016, there were 147 carjackings, compared with 78 at the same time in 2015.