A Note From Canton Police Chief Kenneth Berkowitz

A Letter from Canton Police Chief Kenneth Berkowitz:

With the nice weather upon us, the ongoing challenge of at various locations around the town becomes problematic.

I am asking parents, especially of teenagers, to talk with your children and ensure that they have specific destinations to go to.  When possible, drop your child off at that location and arrange for a time to pick them back up. Get the contact information of their friends’ parents and actively reach out to them to make sure everyone is on the same page.  Check with your child periodically, via cell or text, to ensure that you know if they leave one location to go to another.

Placing an effective checks and balance practice into place is your parental responsibility and it will ensure a safer summer season.  As a police officer, I have seen the tragic consequences when young adults are given too much freedom.

To help, the plans to proactively respond to this quality of life issue by deploying officers to the areas of town where we have historically found there to be an increase of youths gathering, which in effect impedes or disturbs the peace and tranquility of our residents and business owners.  Congregating in the square will be addressed by increased foot patrols, motorcycles, bicycles and plain clothes officers.

Anyone who is deemed to be loitering will be brought to the and when applicable, prosecuted in juvenile court.

Hopefully, this will help us all have a safe enjoyable summer.