EAST ST. LOUIS — Officials in East St. Louis pledged Friday to beef up anti-crime efforts to stop what Mayor Alvin Parks called a "rising tide of violence."

At a news conference in his office, Parks said he and other officials were shocked by the fatal shootingss of three women at a convenience store on Saturday and an accidental shooting that claimed another woman's life on Monday.

A man said to be have been the spurned boyfriend of one of Saturday's victims has been charged with first-degree murder.

"It takes a whole community to stem this rising tide of violence," Parks said. He complained that too many people are carrying guns on the streets and too many resort to violence to settle differences. Concealed carry is illegal in Illinois.

Parks encouraged members of the community to attend a violence prevention forum at 6:30 p.m., Nov. 23, at New Horizons Community Church, 3315 Summit Avenue, and learn how they can help take a stand.

Police Chief Lenzie Stewart said officers are pooling resources with county, state and federal law enforcement agencies to target areas of known drug activity and other crimes.

Stewart said the city has had 27 homicides in 2009, compared with 17 by this date a year ago. There were 31 at this point in 2007.

Figures recently released by the Illinois State Police showed that major crimes reported for statistical purposes were down 6.1 percent in East St. Louis in 2008 from 2007, and that every category of violent crime fell in that period. That overall performance was better than the whole state (down 0.2 percent) or St. Clair County as a whole, down 4.6 percent.

Assistant Police Chief Aubrey Keller said Friday there will be increased saturation patrols throughout the city, targeting traffic violators and people carrying firearms.

Parks said he wishes the city could afford more than 65 police officers. But he said that by "being very resourceful" and working with other agencies, they can cut crime.

The mayor acknowledged that poverty and illicit drug activity are key factors in the city's high crime rate. He said he's working to "rebuild the community's economic vitality" and hopes to soon be able to announce business projects that will bring new jobs to East St. Louis.

"The best social program is a job," he said.