The Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees will consider contracting for two more deputies over the summer. The board will vote on the issue at its regular meeting tonight.

The additions are part of a larger strategic plan and task force being assembled to quell weapons-related violence over the summer months, and the added manpower would cost the township $104,000 from its law enforcement fund balance.

Mike Radzik, the township’s director of police services, said the plan is meant to address a perennial summer rise in violence as well as sustained increase in violent crimes that started last fall.

The contracts would last from May 1 to September 3.

Sheriff's Department officials did return requests for comment.

Several months ago, Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton attended a regular township board of trustees meeting and was asked by the board to put together a comprehensive plan to help address the violent crime issues.

“Traditionally, the number of calls for service goes up in the summer, and the calls tend to be related to violent crimes and neighborhood issues,” Radzik said. “That happens every year. You can predict that.

“Aside from that, Commander (Dieter) Heren, has reported to us that there has been a spike in violent crime that began last fall and has continued throughout the winter months. Because of that, and the anticipated continued rise in the summer, we’re trying to be proactive in our approach.”

Radzik said the deputies will regularly answer calls and be part of a task force “attacking the violent crime situation.” The Sheriff’s Department is using several strategies beyond hiring more manpower, Radzik said, but declined to offer specifics because he wants to keep policing strategies confidential.

Officials are targeting several problematic neighborhoods using saturation patrols, Radzik said. He said that involves “trying to stretch resources by targeting specific problems based on crime data and crime analysis” instead of “just throwing overtime at the problem.”

Radzik said there have been three murders in the township in 2011 and multiple non-fatal shootings.

Not including detectives and command staff, the township currently contracts for 31 deputies, which is down from 38 in 2009. In November, voters approved a three-year millage to sustain the current police levels. The township has a $1.7 million police fund balance as of March 31. Expenditures are projected to exceed revenues when the current millage expires in fiscal year 2013.

“It’s a board decision whether they want to take money out of fund balance or not,” Radzik said. “It has been recommended that’s how (the deputies) be funded, but we’re banking on that money to continue paying for law enforcement for the next three years. But for a one-time expenditure, for a specifically targeted issue, I think it's money well spent.”

The township board recently approved a pilot program to test the effectiveness of portable surveillance cameras in the West Willow neighborhood, which has traditionally seen a higher concentration of violent crime.

The Sheriff's Department previously assembled a larger task force to address similar issues along MacArthur Boulevard in Ypsilanti Township and Superior Township in 2009.

Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.