RACINE - A city committee took steps Monday to increase Police Department staff by 12 and to add 20 hours of overtime a day for the department.

The Committee of the Whole voted unanimously at its meeting at City Hall, 730 Washington Ave., to add $200,000 to the department's overtime budget. The money would be put toward about 20 hours a day of overtime during peak times and would last into the fall, said Racine Police Deputy Chief Dave Smetana.

"They are going to be hitting the areas that we are looking at, the areas that are fragile," Smetana said. "Getting out, face to face, is critical to me."

The measure goes before the City Council for approval at its next meeting, which is

Aug. 19.

After the committee vote, Alderman Greg Helding of the 11th District proposed a referendum so that the Police Department could increase staffing by 12 officers. Specifically, he moved that staff prepare a referendum that would allow the city to exceed the state levy limits by $1 million a year over the next three years.

"This seems to be to be a way to get around this increase in crime we've been having recently," Helding said.

In the ensuing discussion, Mayor Gary Becker pointed out that in order to have the referendum on the November ballot, it would have to be approved by the council by Wednesday. Becker said he would have to wait to determine whether to call a special Wednesday meeting.

"We will see if we can pull things together," he said after the meeting.

The committee approved the motion by an 11-1 vote, Alderman Sandy Weidner of the 6th District voting against it.

In a presentation to the committee, Police Chief Kurt Wahlen had pointed out that although the department is supposed to have 199 positions, usually fewer people than that are active because of factors such as injuries, pregnancies and retirements.

The most important effort of the Police Department is to pursue a partnership with the residents of the community, he said.

"I am going to put out the patrols, whether or not you approve it tonight," Wahlen said. "We want to go out into all these neighborhoods."