Police in Cocoa, Fla., will go door-to-door Tuesday handing out fliers in the search for a group of vandals who spray-painted the names and patrol car numbers of officers they wanted to kill.

Authorities said death threat messages covered homes in the Barbara Jenkins Public Housing Unit located on Fiske Boulevard.

The messages promised that "all cops will cry" and said "we got guns too."

"A small group of thugs are trying to intimidate the police," police chief Phil Ludos said. "We understand their fear and desire not to get involved, but this is their city, not the thugs.' Anyone who threatens an armed police officer is certainly even more of a threat to an innocent citizen and will be dealt with accordingly."

"The fact that they mentioned that we all need to die and they have guns too, you can understand our response level will now be heightened," Cocoa police spokeswoman Barbara Jenkins. "Our resistance to calls, our resistance to bad guys has just been raised a notch. And we feel we have the right to do that because they have threatened our lives publicly and openly."

Officers said officers in the area have been shot at twice in the last six weeks.

Some residents said they are tired of the stigma that plagues their neighborhood.

"We're fighting to keep their streets clean and their streets safe, we're not doing it for ourselves, we're doing it for them," Matthews said. "And you can't pick up a phone and call us when this is happening? Shame on you."

Police said there will be a prayer vigil, organized by local leaders, at 6:30 p.m. in the area of the vandalism

Anyone with information concerning this crime is urged to call Crimeline at 800-423-TIPS.

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