RACINE - Recent violence in the city is prompting top city and county officials to speak out publicly on how they plan to address what many perceive as a significant rise in crime here.

Racine Police Chief Kurt Wahlen said a press conference will be held at City Hall at noon Tuesday, involving himself, Mayor Gary Becker, Racine County Executive Bill McReynolds, Sheriff Bob Carlson, Mount Pleasant Police Chief Tim Zarzecki and Racine County District Attorney Michael Nieskes.

"We're doing what we can to make changes," Wahlen said. "I've been walking the neighborhoods."

He said he usually goes to the scenes of homicides here, talks with neighbors and with the victims' families.

"I take it personally when it happens in our community," he said. "When it comes to the people directly affected, I've been there."

McReynolds said Monday that the press conference will announce a law enforcement plan to deal with the recent upswing in violence.

"I have complete confidence in the law enforcement community in this county," he said. "My job is to provide resources for them to get the job done. We're going to free up some resources to respond to this."

But the police department doesn't have all the answers, Wahlen said.

He doesn't believe simply putting more officers on the street will rid the city of crime. Although he would like more day-time officers to walk beats and patrol, he said they are well-staffed, especially at night.

And police presence alone doesn't always prevent crime.

Wahlen pointed out that just minutes before Jamaal Stanciel was killed at 11th Street and Hilker Place on June 14, officers were there attempting to disperse the crowd. And police were just blocks from the scene of the fatal shooting of Keontay Watson in the 900 block of Hamilton Street less than two days later.

The function of the police department is to suppress crime, Wahlen said.

"Our job is to do what we can to control it. The cure lies in the community. They need to come together. The churches need to step up."

A plan for the city has to be comprehensive, Wahlen said. While the department does invest in social programs, like the Cops 'N Kids Reading Center and their annual fishing trip with Racine children, they can't be expected to solve the crime problem here on their own.

"It's a community problem," Wahlen said. "And by and large it's the African American community that is suffering."

Some who live and work in Racine's central city couldn't agree more.

Both Rev. Elliott Cohen and Ken Lumpkin called The Journal Times Monday to discuss the idea of a meeting to come up with a comprehensive plan for Racine.

COP houses and more police officers are a reaction to problems, but don't deal with the root issues, Cohen said. "That is not a long-term response."

Cohen would love to have a town hall meeting to discuss with the community and local officials what the problems are and what could be done. "We're spending too much time on lock 'em up and not enough on intervention," he said. "It's crucial for us. I want to be part of the solution."

Cohen said he feels there has not been enough response from the faith community on the recent violence. "We have abandoned our true call to be a voice for those in darkness," he said.

Ken Lumpkin said that historically, the people in the inner city feel a sense of hopelessness.

They feel voiceless and haven't been asked for their input.

"Nobody is talking to the community, and trying to find out what they need," he said. "Nobody is talking about resources."

Resources need to be behind the troops, he said.

"We are not being visionaries," Lumpkin said. "Even if we did everything right and all gang members quit their gangs tomorrow, what would Racine have for them?"