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President Obama ramped up his administrations response to the violence in Ferguson, Mo., saying Tuesday he had instructed top officials to hold regional meetings aimed at improving relations between police and distrustful communities.

Speaking at a rally in Chicago, Obama said Atty. Gen.Eric H. Holder Jr.would bring together state and local officials and religious and community leaders next week to talk about specific steps to improve race relations.

Obama said his administration would work on constructive solutions to what he described as frustrations rooted in some hard truths. But he condemned protesters who have reacted with violent outbursts to the police shooting of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old unarmed black man, and a grand jury's decision not to indict the white officer who killed him, Darren Wilson.

Dont take the short-term, easy route and just engage in destructive behavior. Take the long-term, hard, but lasting route of working with me and governors, state officials to bring about some real change, Obama said. And to those who think that what happened in Ferguson is an excuse for violence, I do not have any sympathy for that. I have no sympathy at all for destroying your own communities.

Those who are prepared to work constructively, your president will work with you, he said.

Obama made his comments at the beginning of a speech intended to promote his new immigration policy. But his remarks showed that attention at the White House remained on the St. Louis suburb that was rattled anew Monday with news that Officer Wilson would face no state charges.

Holder, too, commented Tuesday, saying he and Obama had discussed criminal justice initiatives and "the need to bring our people together."

He added that two federal investigations into the Aug. 9 shooting remained ongoing and would be "thorough and conducted in a timely manner.

Holder said he was disappointed in Mondays violence, particularly because Browns father had chosen heartfelt words about how he wanted his son's memory to be honored," and had discouraged violence.

Other administration officials have been monitoring the situation in Ferguson and other major cities that saw protests Monday.

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Obama ramps up administration's response to Ferguson violence