SEATTLE — When thieves siphoned all the gas from his SUV, Loyal Heights resident Eric Bachhuver didn't even bother calling Seattle police.
"Hearing that it takes so long for them to show up and that they're understaffed, (there's a) sense of helplessness that even if you do call nothing's going to happen," Bachhuver said.
For Loralee Deshazor of Whittier Heights, the problem is fundamental.
"We don't get the response we need from our police department," she said.
Concerns about police response to petty crimes led neighbors on Tuesday to fill a room at the Loyal Heights Community Center to meet with North Precinct commanders.
Police were understanding and defensive.
"We've taken a lot of heat in the media up here in the last couple weeks. People feel their 911 calls go into a black hole and disappear," said Lt. Jim Arata.
Police said they do respond to crimes in progress, which led one man in the room to yell out that response can take hours.
Another voiced frustration about a threatening person in the neighborhood.
"We know the cops are not going to come and help us," he said.
Police urged people to always report crime, saying it generates data about hot spots and helps deploy officers.
Neighbors asked a lot of questions about what they can do.
Some are forming new block watches and keeping connected on social media and listservs.
They're also planning to help lobby for funding for more police officers.
"Luckily it's just petty stuff right now, but of course we fear break-ins in our homes, with children, with family members, that's what I'm worried about," said Bachhuver.
KIRO
