Following a string of fires and other violence in Troy, the pastor at The Missing Link Church is hoping to make the streets of the Collar City safe once again. Our Erin Vannella reports.

  To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

TROY, N.Y. -- After fires spread through the city of Troy in the past few weeks, a local pastor is looking for answers. Pastor Willie Bacote of The Missing Link Church in Troy hosted a public meeting to discuss the issue with community members.

Between a number of suspicious fires and street fights in the area, the community is hoping to come to a conclusion to help stop the violence. Representatives of the police department attended the meeting to reassure residents that their investigations will help keep the streets safer.

“Public one-on-one process is important to our department, we've always engaged in that. And tonight, we look forward to answering questions and hopefully allaying fears of those in north central and let them know that hopefully peace and contentment is come back to their community," said Captain John Cooney, Troy Police Department.

Police say they are still actively looking into the area's suspicious fires and they continue to seek the public's help with the investigation.