The so-called "Marshall Plan" includes police sweeps and gun seizures. City Manager Bob Deis told council members - fighting crime is just as important as getting the bankrupt city's fiscal house in order.

"This issue is not a city issue, not just a police issue, we cannot arrest our way out of this, we have to successfully renegotiate our debt, in my opinion implement the Marshall Plan."

Stockton has seen two record years of homicides with 71 deaths last year. Councilman Elbert Holman noted that most of the violence has come from gangs and that hiring more police won't solve the problem.

"When we build more jails and hire more cops and just do that, guess who is going to fill up the jails, African-American kids and Hispanic kids and I'm saying we need a broader approach to crime."

Under the Marshall Plan, a citizen's committee will come up with recommendations and return to the council with its findings.