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)
• Work with business owners to increase security measures and surveillance on site. Most crime occurs in the commercial sector, but many businesses do not have proper security systems. • Encourage citizen engagement citywide to report suspicious activity. Citizen engagement is essential in solving crime. For example, shoplifting is the top crime in Canton, and the Police Department’s social media posts lead to citizen assistance in solving the majority of these cases. • Continue outreach efforts to the Hispanic community to foster trust and cooperation. • Continue and increase efforts to enhance relationships with multifamily property managers and citizen stakeholders. The majority of crime originates at apartment and multifamily complexes. • Include a monthly Public Safety update from Chief Mitchell during Council Work Sessions to share information on incidents, arrests, problem areas and significant areas of concern. • Encourage Council members to hold regular Town Hall meetings to address public safety and other issues in their respective wards and throughout the city. In addition, the Canton Police department initiated the following measures, among others, in response to the recent violent crime incidents: • • • • • • • • • •
Arrests have been made or warrants are outstanding in a majority of the violent crimes. Created Zones to assist in response times and more coverage of the problem areas. Cameras are being installed to serve as a great force multiplier and assist in investigations. All supervisors and command staff participate in monthly Compare Statistics (COMSTAT) meetings for crime analysis and strategic planning. Canton Police intends to increase manpower in Uniform Patrol Division (UPD) and Special Operations Division (SOD). Canton Police filled an open detective slot. Canton Police has met with citizen groups, conducted a press conference and will host additional community events in the future. Canton Police has teamed with State and Federal Law Enforcement to assist in violent crime cases. Created a monthly Intel meeting with all Law Enforcement in Cherokee County. Overtime is being used to bring in extra officers to patrol problem areas.
Bill.Grant@CantonGA.gov GrantForCanton.com Facebook – Grant for Canton