ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTVA-CBS 11 News) Some city and state leaders, along with Anchorage Police Chief Mark Mew, plan to meet with community members Monday, June 28 to work toward getting the bottom of increasing crime rates.

At the weekend Mountain View Street Fair crime was a common theme on attendees minds. While some East Anchorage residents called for more community watch, other wanted to see more services for children.

"I think more things for the kids, more clubs for the kids to get involved in," said Shelly Osbourne, who previously lived in Mountain View .

Many families say public safety resources continue not to be adequatly supplied.

"More cops. Just cops doing patrol around the houses around the neighborhood watching carefully. Finding everybody. Stopping them if they are suspicious," said East Anchorage's Robert Faldetta.

"You want to know when you send your kid out to play it's going to be all right. It's not even your kids. You want to know if you go outside and play it's going to be ok." said Mountain View resident Kiya Robinson.

With two officer shootings, crime rates rising eight percent in 2009, including rape numbers at the highest levels in 20 years , Anchorage lawmakers are calling for the community to form ideas.

"This is an opportunity for the community to come together and lets hear from the people in Anchorage what they feel about our public safety system we have. And let us hear ideas

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on how we can improve it," said Sen. Bill Wielechowski, D-Anchorage.

During Monday's town hall meeting, Wielechowski, Rep. Pete Petersen, D-Anchorage, Assembly Members Paul Honeman and Mike Gutierrez,will ask Anchorage residents what they think about a five part plan they are suggesting.

It includes more cops on the streets, making sure police are working with the best equipment and receiving the best training, immediately funding the proposed police academy, adding extra police to high crime areas using the zero tolerance detail and possibly having two cops in a vehicle on night shifts in high crime areas.

While Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan has said he will fund an academy, right now Sullivan says it cannot be afforded.

In an interview with CBS 11 News on May 4, Sullivan said, "In 2011, it's probably going to be a pretty challenging year, budget-wise, so we want to make sure that the timing of academies and adding new personnel fits within our budget challenges."

But Osbourne says, "Mountain View has a big red flag concern for the safety and high crime that they have. And it's been a problem. And the only way to stop that would be more APD."

The meeting takes place Monday, June 28 between 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm at East Anchorage High School Commons area on East Northern Lights Boulevard.

Police Chief Mark Mew, Fire Battalion Chief Jim Foster and community patrol leaders will also attend.

Wielechowski says the state has given millions of dollars to the Municipality of Anchorage, and is urging Sullivan to reprioritizing public safety funding.

To contact the Newsroom, call 907-274-1111.

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