By Matt Sepic, KWMU
St. Louis, MO – 
City residents who have a problem with graffiti or a derelict building next door, or even a pothole in the alley often turn first not to their alderman but to a neighborhood stabilization officer.
The city's 24 NSOs work for the Department of Public Safety as civil service employees. They act as a liaison between residents and various city agencies.
But some St. Louis aldermen say the NSOs aren't performing up to par, and should instead answer directly to them.
KWMU's Matt Sepic prepared this report.