YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Youngstown Police have started a community effort to help curb problems in each of the city's wards.

Youngstown Police Officer Barb Copeland says, "We live in the city, I work in the city, I love the city, so their problems are my problems."

What's driving Officer Barb Copeland is her desire to keep her city safe, crime down, and residents happy.

Copeland is one of seven officers, along with their supervisor Detective-Sergeant Pat Kelly, who are part of the new Community Police Unit.

"When people get to know you and get comfortable with you and can trust you, they are our eyes, and they are our ears.  So we can get a lot of information from the people when we gain that trust," Officer Copeland said. 

Each officer is assigned exclusively to each of the seven wards in the city.  For Officer Copeland it's the 3rd Ward.  Covering the north side and a portion of the west.

"Sometimes I'm going to walk the beat.  You can see more when you're out walking then when you're riding through, and also that gives a chance for me to stop and talk to the people working in their yards or just sitting on their porch," Copeland said.

Copeland will also attend block watch meetings to meet one on one with residents and help them solve neighborhood concerns.

Peggy Gurney, President of the Crandall Park North Neighborhood Association tells 21 News, "I think it's fantastic.  It's absolutely great.  It's something we've needed for a long time."

While community policing is basically an old concept, this team of officers is focused on a new approach.  Zeroing in on "hot spots" that need more attention.

"We're going to work together as a group when we have a hot spot.  When there's a place that it will take more than one officer, we're all going to get together, and we're going to go to that place and deal with it however we have to," Officer Copeland said.

The bottom line to improve the quality of life issues for those who live in the city.