Toronto's Chief of Police got an earful from the people of Danzig.

Bill Blair held an outdoor town-hall style meeting there Thursday night on a patch of grass, next to the neighbourhood's basketball courts.

Dozens of locals filled that grass, others lined driveways & boulevards, some sitting in lawn chairs to hear what the Chief had to say.

Blair used the gathering to assure the neighbourhood that Danzig is safe after this summer's deadly shooting at a street party.

Toronto Police have ramped up their presence in Danzig & across the city in the weeks since the shooting.  Blair told Danzig his cops aren't going anywhere.  He also suggested police are "close" to making more arrests in the July shootout that left 2 people dead & 23 hurt. Police have said gang members were involved.

Despite promises of more boots on the ground, 12-year-old Alex hasn't seen a cop along Danzig in weeks.  Althea Wilson says they mostly patrol in unmarked cars or cruise by silently at night. 

Wilson says the community would feel more at ease & more cared for if police officers really got to know the people who live in Danzig.

Jam Johnson, snatched the microphone away from a teen girl to confront the Chief about how officers treat Danzig residents.  The local basketball organizer says cops spend too much time busting kids for petty crimes & issuing fines they can't afford to pay.

Johnson says no one's supporting Danzig's young people.  He was one of many locals to highlight a lack of social programs for pre-teens, job opportunities & positive role models.

Chief Blair says while he's focused on safety, neighbourhoods like Danzig need both policing & effective community programs.  He says talks are ongoing with different levels of government on how to help.