YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - All across the country, communities are dealing with problems of police brutality and racial injustice.

"I think it has to be respect," said Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown. "I think we're finding the racism that is out there is coming out and seems to be more of a power, you know I'm in control, this is what I can do to you and I can get away with it."

The relationship between law enforcement and the most vulnerable members of the community appears to be at a breaking point.

"It needs to be protecting and serving," Mayor Brown said. "What people want and African-Americans we want, we want what everyone else wants. If we break the law, take us to jail, let the judge and the jury decide. We don't want to be judged on the sidewalk, we don't want to be executed on the sidewalk for whatever crime you say we committed."

Church and city leaders don't want to see that happen in Youngstown.

"We want to nip it in the bud before it gets here," said Rose Carter, Executive Director of A.C.T.I.O.N. "We need to have a better understanding of how the police departments we're talking about now, how the police can work better with us but also how we as the community can work better with the police."

A forum is set for Tuesday, June 23rd at 6 p.m. at New Bethel Baptist Church on Youngstown's south side. This isn't the first time a townhall like this has been held, several have taken place over the years, including a similiar one in 2014. While the issue is front and center yet again and some in the community say changes need to be made, they've also seen signs of progress locally.

"I think Youngstown is doing a fairly decent job and other people around the country can take a page from what Youngstown is doing because they adopted a few years ago the CIRV program where they have a person who is very much engaged and being proactive with those who are most vulnerable or likely to commit crime," said Mike McNair, Editor of the Buckeye Review.

"I give them credit, they've done training, they are making sure the officers are training," Mayor Brown said. "The one thing I commend Chief Lees is making sure the officers have diversity training and they are immersed in different cultures, religion and just social backgrounds."

"I think in our community and the way we deal with one another, the way we talk with one another, the way our police officers are involved in events with the CIRV program, our officers were frequently engaged with the community with that," John McNally, former Youngstown Mayor. "I think that has improved a good deal over the past six years."

Youngstown Police Chief Robin Lees says his department has always been focused on building trust within the community and points to expanding the CIRV program, implementing the community policing program, having dialogue with local clergy and community leaders every quarter as well as beefing up officer training which includes a review on use of force every year.

"I would point out that our agency has not been involved with any unneccesary use of deadly force for years, not that there ever was and you have to go back to look at, again deadly force events we've been involved in," Chief Lees said. "We're an urban agency, we have a lot of gun violence, again drugs have always been an issue and for the amount of that that takes place in the community and the number of times we're involved in the deadly use of force, I think our record is pretty good."

"When I was mayor, I can only think of a small handful of times where I even got an inkling of the issue of excessive force or unlawful stops and the way officers conducted and they were few and far between and so I as mayor was very comfortable and happy with the performance of the YPD," McNally said.

One area local leaders would like to see addressed is the issue of cops getting fired from one department but resurfacing at another department.

"It has to be an action, continues with training making sure if you find that officer who is stepping outside of the line, those blurred lines, that you don't let them get away with a pat on their back. They're needs to be strong consequences for that," Mayor Brown said.

"If a cop was fired for bad acts, he's hidden and the unions hide him, other departments hide them, that's how Tamir Rice was killed in Cleveland, you know that piece has to change," McNair said. "But they have to be willing to allow it to change, we can say, oh you gotta change, you gotta change but if they don't actually sign off on it, it won't change."

While change can take time, leaders say they have to keep their eye on the ball and follow through with action.

"It comes back to who has power," McNair said. "Those in power make changes and we can push those in power with legislation, with voting and encouraging them to hold them accountable, that's what we have to do."

"It's gonna take a Derek Steyer to go back to his community and say we can't have that," Mayor Brown said. "We need the congressmen who are not, they're white, they're not black and they need to be angry. Every leader that are our allies need to be out there beating the streets and saying this will not happen anymore nationally."