YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A newly formed minority police association is hoping to educate the public about policing in the Mahoning Valley.

The Shades of Blue is a group of minority police officers of the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office and the Youngstown Police Department.

Deputy Ronnie Casey Jr. is the president of the organization and is joined by multiple law enforcement officers that have at least 20 years of experience in the field.

Casey says he hopes the group can give the community a more accurate view of law enforcement.

"We know that the only way to bridge the gap between law enforcement officers and the black community is with minority officers," said Casey Jr.

He added that some of the members of the group have been active in youth sports in the Youngstown area for years and have made connections with the community in addition to being an officer.

Casey said Shades of Blue would help bring their community involvement to the next level.

The group said they are planning to have some community events in the future.

Officers that want to get involved can find the Shades of Blue on Facebook.