LAS VEGAS -- With area attention turned to the sexual assault of a toddler recorded on tape, many Valley residents are curious as to how area authorities will keep incidents like that from happening again.

20 Sex Offenders Get New Accessory

Metro police attempted to answer residents' questions about monitoring registered sex offenders during their first Tuesday's Open House.

Police invited people to ask questions so they could dispel some myths about sex offenders. Officers said they were surprised at the record crowds that turned out, worries in hand.

"Anytime you have a high-profile case, it comes to more people's attention," Metro Capt. Daniel Barry said. "Especially in any growing community like ours -- it's important to realize safety."

Parents and kids turned out to talk about sex offenders and how to keep the community secure.

"It's a concern because we are not a gated community," resident Rosa Scholes said. "And, we have a couple of elementary schools that are close to us."

At Tuesday night's meeting, the Sex Offender Task Force officers tried to stop some of those myths, including the most frequent place of attack -- which is in a home or residence. Officials said in most cases, sexual assailants are usually people the victim knows already.

"These community gatherings are where we're actually sharing information," Barry said. "That's very big."

Officers said that parents' eyes and ears are the best line of defense, and they should not hesitate to report suspicious behavior. They said only one in nine children actually report any sort of sexual abuse to their parents.

These meetings will be held every first Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. Officers will use them to answer any questions people may have about Valley safety. The meetings are held at eight different locations across the Valley.