Addressing the crime problem in southeast Urbana is and must continue to be a top priority.

We disagree with Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing's decision to veto funds for the county's Convention and Visitor's Bureau, but it's hard to quarrel with her reason for doing so.

Prussing wants to reallocate that money — $72,000 — to law enforcement, helping to finance the hiring of two police officers and making it easier for the department to address a growing crime problem in the Sunnycrest area of southeast Urbana.

The city has a big problem on its hands, and it will take a concerted, long-term, multi-pronged effort to solve it.

For the time being, Urbana Police Chief Pat Connolly said his department is trying to make a show of force in the area to discourage lawbreaking and to encourage those who pose a problem to leave.

Extra police officers have moved into the area on bike and foot patrols. Connolly said that "since April we've committed 300 additional man-hours through overtime" to the Sunnycrest area. He reports the University of Illinois Police Department is assisting in this effort.

But Connolly emphasizes that the extra police presence is a "short-term" solution to a long-term problem. Further, even the extra officers will have a limited effect.

The two additional officers will fill existing vacancies on the 55-member department, not increase the size of the police department. Like most communities, Urbana has been wrestling with budget issues, and one way it has chosen to reduce spending has been not to fill existing vacancies.

Further, it takes time to get new officers up to speed. Connolly said he hopes to hire one officer with experience, allowing that officer to become an immediate contributor. But the other probably will be a rookie who will have to learn the ropes, starting at the Police Training Institute.

Even more discouraging is that, on a department that operates 24/7, two additional officers can't make a huge impact.

That's why Connolly said the overall strategy the city takes is key to solving the problem.

He suggests that Urbana must address the crime problem from a variety of perspectives to make a difference. That could include embracing new legislative and administrative tools, including adopting an ordinance that targets aggressive panhandling, stepped-up code enforcement to target public nuisances and anti-trespassing legislation that would allow business owners to bar disruptive patrons from their premises.

Crime in the Sunnycrest area is a relatively new problem that has developed over the past two years. Connolly said crime there was once "almost non-existent" but has become both frequent and violent.

A few months ago, an elderly woman who was a victim of a home invasion was locked for several days in a closet before she was discovered. A drug-related murder occurred this spring, although neither the victim nor the alleged assailant actually lived at the location where the fatality occurred.

The areas under review are located generally within Florida Avenue on the north, Philo Road on the east, Mumford Drive on the south and Anderson Street on the west.

A comparison of reported crimes and calls for service from January to April 2010 and January to April 2011 shows a dramatic increase, with reported crimes increasing from 127 to 182 (a 43 percent increase) and calls for service jumping from 610 to 876 (a 44 percent increase).

That, obviously, is not acceptable.

The good news is that the city is facing up to the problem. Mayor Prussing obviously is determined to do what is necessary to protect the quality of life for citizens who live in this area. Chief Connolly has a handle on the broad-based approach needed to get that job done.

What's necessary now is to get all the necessary parties pulling in the same direction. Connolly is quite correct to say there's no "quick fix," but a fix can and must be achieved.