Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz is organizing a Thursday gathering in Valley of the Moon Park, where the killings of two people last month touched off rising alarm about crime in the area and the city as a whole.
Berkowitz announced the gathering in response to a letter from Valley of the Moon residents pleading for more police patrols on the trail system.
"I would like us to work together on some immediate solutions so we can all feel safe in our homes and parks, as well as on the streets and trails," Berkowitz wrote in his letter, which was posted on the neighborhood social networking site Nextdoor.com.
The Valley of the Moon gathering is set for 6 p.m. Thursday at the large pavilion in the park, according to Berkowitz's letter. Anchorage Police Chief Chris Tolley is also expected to attend.
Berkowitz will also be appearing at the North Star Community Council meeting at North Star Elementary on Sept. 14.
He said he was working with the Anchorage Police Department to set up more community gatherings and community council appearances "so we can work on these problems citywide."
Berkowitz made public safety a major theme of his mayoral campaign last year.