Canton Police, City Leaders Host Unity Meeting

CANTON, GA -- The Canton Police Department has spent the last two years working consistently to establish a concrete relationship with the citizens and stakeholders it's tasked with serving.

On Friday, July 22, the agency continued on that path by hosting a unity meeting with members of the local clergy and city leaders.

Canton Police Chief Mark Mitchell was joined by Mayor Gene Hobgood, City Manager Billy Peppers and other citiazens to discuss continued efforts "to build trusting relationships between the police department and the citizens it serves."

Participants noted that the relationship between the local police and the community is very good, but "there will always be opportunities to improve communication, feedback and follow-up in order to further strengthen the trust that is being cultivated between the community and its officers," Canton police added.

As a result of Friday's meeting, plans are now in the works to roll out educational literature and a video that will inform citizens what they can expect during a routine traffic stop.

"The goal of this effort will be the ability to show the process, procedure, role and responsibility of both the officer and citizen during a traffic stop encounter," the Canton Police Department said. "Meetings such as this that improve relationships between the city of Canton, the local police department and the community provide valuable insights and feedback for all parties, while building a foundation of trust and success for the future."

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Photo 1: from left to right, Pastor Tyrone Gates, Pastor Gregory Hughes, City Manager Billy Peppers, Mayor Gene Hobgood, Bishop Bobby Montgomery, former City Council member Pat Tanner, Rev. Lemora Dobbs and Chief Mark Mitchell.
Photo 2: from left to right are, Hobgood, Hughes, Tanner, Montgomery, Dobbs, Mitchell, Gates and Peppers.
Photo credits: Canton Police Department