Sparks fly as some point fingers at police during Fairfax safety meeting

Neighbors in the Fairfax District gathered Wednesday evening, fearing for their safety, trying to ensure a recent violent sexual attack on their neighbors doesn't happen again.

This small restaurant where neighbors gathered was packed, but it got heated emotionally too, with many people pointing fingers at the police department.

At one point, LAPD Captain Anthony Oddo telling one heckler, "You're obviously very angry, we're trying to be productive here. This is a big deal to me. I do look at it as an emergency and I assign a high value to it. So do we fail, yes! Are we perfect no! I'm just trying to tell you this is a big deal to me. Please don't minimize it."

Crime overall, LAPD admits, is on the rise in the area.

"We're making those calls and no one is answering the phone," said Meila Penn.

Now a growing number of people are demanding to know how to report those incidents, when they say they can't get through to police.

The captain's response, was to call 9-1-1 - not a non emergency line... If you fear for your safety.

"Let me fail you by not showing up. Don't you not call me," said Oddo.

He also says they're increasing units in the area to reduce wait times.

"I'm putting the resources here to have that positive effect on our crime and to reduce it. But before that...We have to build that partnership," said Oddo.

Many residents, eager to start building that partnership, but anxious to see real results when it comes to faster police response.

"We all understand they're out on different calls but when you're in your home and you're a victim of a crime, that can be a hard thing to wrap your head around," said neighbor Carolyn Fagan.

One thing the captain stresses is there's an increase in reporting crime on the website NextDoor.

Police don't check that website.

He wants to remind people if you see something, say something to POLICE, not just neighborhood websites.