The city has had at least 781 shootings in 2020 as of Monday, which is more than the 776 total for all of last year.

The number of people shot is up 81 percent compared to the same period a year ago.

Police Commissioner Dermot Shea says to make effective change the police department has to work in conjuction with other partners and the community.

But he says one of the biggest misconceptions is that the disbanding of the NYPD’s anti-crime unit is to blame for the surge in shootings.

“Saying that the anti-crime unit is why the shootings are happening right now I think is missing the point. We need people to have consequences for carrying guns, we need people to have consequences when they commit crimes,” Shea told NY1 in an exclusive interview.

While several hundred officers were transferred to detective squads, Shea says “the rest of those officers are out there. They’re in the same communities, they’re still out there working.”

Shea says other factors, like low inmate populations at Rikers and state prisons are “significantly more impactful” to shooting incidents than the anti-crime unit.

“We don’t want people in jail but we certainly don’t want them walking around the street either,” he said.

The police commissioner joined Mornings on 1 via Skype.