These were concerns voiced by the estimated 60 Latinos who gathered in the rain Tuesday night for a community meeting with Durham Police Chief Jose L. Lopez Sr.

The group, residents of Duke Villa Apartments, just west of downtown Durham, gathered under two tents near the complex's pool.

"If you are a citizen of Durham, we will give you all the rights and services of a citizen, whether you are from South Carolina or Mexico," Lopez said in Spanish.

Tuesday's gathering was part of a series of community conversations Lopez plans to have this month.

Police and El Centro Hispano, a Durham-based Latino advocacy group that co-sponsored the event, hope there will be more events aimed at strengthening relations between police and Hispanic residents. Officers at the event sported regular clothes so their uniforms would not intimidate residents.

About a third of victims in the 124 robberies reported last month were Latino. Two of Durham's three homicides this year were connected with robberies, including that of Dolores Benito Gomez, 48. No arrests have been made in the killing.

Most of the robberies involved suspects described as black. Lopez and Alba Onofrio, El Centro executive director, stressed that the crimes aren't about race.

"Criminals are criminals regardless of what color they are," Onofrio said. "We all want them off the streets. That's something we have in common; it's not something to argue about."

Most of the conversation Tuesday focused on tips from police, such as not carrying large amounts of money and having keys ready when entering a home or vehicle. Lopez, who spoke to the group in Spanish, advised the residents to dial 911 immediately if they see suspicious activity.

That message was a reassuring one to some.

"Now we feel comfortable because we feel like we can call 911," one man said in Spanish. "We feel like you're doing this for all of us."

Lopez said the event was one that should be duplicated in other parts of the city.

"I need to communicate with the community, and I think this is the best way, one on one," he said. "I think we're going to develop a trust in the community. They need to know that we're willing to come to them and address their issues."