The manhunt for fugitive former LAPD officer and suspected murderer Christopher Dorner has taken a toll on Southern California police departments.

Hundreds of officers are working on the Dorner case, not just responding to every credible sighting, but also protecting at least 50 families connected to the angry manifesto Dorner allegedly wrote, saying he would kill police.

The response on Sunday at a Lowe's store in Northridge was massive, but the report that Dorner was there was later found to be false -- like many other sightings.

Timeline: Revenge-Plot Slayings | Read: Full Manifesto | Map: LAPD Manhunt | Tips: 213-486-6860

But police say they're not letting up.

"We'll continue to go until we have Mr. Dorner in custody, and the threat has ceased," LAPD Lt. Andy Neiman said Monday.

That is a tall order -- costly not in dollars, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck said, but also in public safety.

"While this continues, our ability to do other things -- to respond to 911, to do criminal investigations, to do community relations events, is crippled," Beck said.

So what happens if you're the victim of a crime?

A citywide tactical alert can get officers to you if you're in jeopardy.

But commanders say officers may not respond to "smaller" crimes, and you should consider reporting them to your local police station in person.

Neiman said an example of a crime to report in person is "your house is broken into, there's no threat of somebody there now, there's no imminent threat to somebody's safety."

Other law enforcement agencies, such as the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, say the Dorner situation has had little noticeable effect on response times.

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