San Fernando Valley residents raise concerns over recent burglaries
Residents packed into the Sherman Oaks Homeowners Association on Wednesday night to deliver their concerns on crime and safety straight to LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell.
"It's crazy," Van Nuys resident Jim Strong said. "It's horrible."
Residents from Sherman Oaks and the surrounding areas said a spike in crimes, including burglaries, has made them fearful in their homes, especially after an American Idol executive and her husband were killed inside of their Encino home.
"The people in these communities deserve all of the protection they can get," McDonnell said. "They deserve to have a police department that's responsive and react to any issues that come up."
The concerns echoed those CBS News Los Angeles heard from residents on Wednesday morning. They also expressed concerns about the lack of offices on the street and resources being diverted elsewhere.
"If we could increase the number of positions at the department in terms of officers on the street, that's going to be a huge reciprocal for that," said Robert Tomlinson, who runs the local neighborhood watch.
McDonnell admitted that the department has struggled to recruit candidates recently, with LAPD down 1,400 officers compared to five years ago.
"They can't get funding and everything's been canceled for them," Strong said.
McDonnell said he hopes to recruit new officers and close key cases that could bring community members peace of mind.
"My hope is that they will provide some level of satisfaction for people who have been victimized by burglaries that have been so prevalent here," he said.
