A Bridgeport man is helping to clean up the city, one pair of shoes at time.

Ethan Book says he's spent the past year cutting down sneakers hanging from power lines.

He decided to do it after hearing neighbors complain them.

Police say shoes are often used as markers to indicate locations where drugs can be bought.

Book says he uses a plastic tree limb cutter that doesn't conduct electricity to snip the laces and get the sneakers down.

"First of all it's an eyesore, it clutters the neighborhood and that's not good," Book explains. "Often it's difficult to find something positive to do. This is something small but meaningful and something that I can do. I'm happy to do it."

Book says he has special permission from local officials to remove the shoes.

Police tell News 12 that for safety reasons, you should not try to do this yourself.