Reelect BILL GRANT for Canton City Council – Ward 2
Proactive Crime Prevention
Enhancing Public Safety in Canton, Georgia In general, Canton remains one of the safest cities in Georgia. From official 2016 crime statistics, Canton ranked the 15th safest of all cities in the state – up from 21 in 2015. Recent violent crimes have been random and committed by persons outside the Canton area, so it would have been impossible to predict and prevent them. With the significant growth rate in Cherokee County, Canton and Metro Atlanta, it stands to reason that crime will also increase. We have one of the most capable Police Chiefs and Departments in the State, and I am extremely proud of their efforts to keep Canton and its citizens safe. However, the Mayor and Council should always be working with Chief Mitchell to increase public safety in a proactive and effective manner.
Key initiatives I propose to better protect and inform our citizens: • Build a new Police Station adjacent to City Hall for enhanced collaboration among all city staff. This initiative is a priority for our potential SPLOST funded projects. • Increase proactive traffic enforcement in problem areas and on 575. • Continue to invest in the best possible staff, training, compensation, equipment, and technology for our police department. We have invested heavily in these areas over the past few years, and we will increase our efforts as necessary. • Greater Police presence around the City’s major gateways: 575, Hwy 5, 20 and 140. More presence at these entrances to our city will be a deterrent to those canvassing the area for potential criminal activity. • Increased lighting and surveillance on all gateways and 575 exits 14-20. • Increased and better data to inform our Police as to trouble areas, including information from Cherokee Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad (CMANS) about drug activity zones. Add a possible full time Crime Analyst to assist with data gathering and analysis. Better data enhances crime prevention efforts. (continued)