Thursday, December 22, 2016

Shoplifter Wanted

On December 22, 2016, at approximately 9:00 AM Canton Officers responded to a theft in progress call at Wal-Mart (1550 Riverstone Parkway).  A Wal-Mart Loss Prevention Officer observed a female placing a large amount of items in a shopping cart.  The suspect then attempted to leave the store without purchasing the items in the cart.  The Loss Prevention Officer attempted to stop the suspect when she fled the area on foot.  Canton Police Officers were able to obtain information about the suspect from items she left behind.

The suspect attempted to take a large amount of teeth whitening strips, and razor blades valued at over $2,000.00.

Suspect:
Kelly Grace Obrien
White Female
26 yrs. Old
5’5”
Blue Eyes


If you have any information regarding this case, please contact the Canton Police Department: 770-720-4883 or call 911.

Monday, December 19, 2016

Canton Police Hires New Officer

The Canton Police Department has recently hired Officer Kathleen Gerdes to join their team. For the past two years Officer Gerdes has worked as an Officer at the Floyd County Police Department. She is the sister of Detective Allison Gerdes who is employed with the Canton Police Department in the Criminal Investigations Department.

In her free time, Officer Gerdes is an avid outdoor enthusiast who likes to spend time with family and read books. She was sworn in, December 14, 2016 at 4:00 PM, by the honorable Judge Thomas D. Roach at City Hall. Over the next few months, Officer Gerdes will be working in our field training program to learn the streets of Canton and get to know the members of our great community.


Chief Mark J. Mitchell said, "Officer Kathleen Gerdes will be an excellent fit for this organization. During the course of her employment process, we found that her experience, attitude, mindset and background shows that she is the caliber of Officer that we need at our department to both protect and engage with our Community."



Promotion Ceremony

During a promotion ceremony at Canton City Hall on December 14, 2016, Officer Patrick Duncan was recognized for his promotion to the rank of Corporal. Corporal Duncan has been with the Canton Police Department for over three years. His wife and son pinned his new badge on his uniform. Prior to his service on the police force, Corporal Duncan served in the armed forces for over eight years.


Chief Mark J. Mitchell said, "We are extremely proud of Cpl. Patrick Duncan for this accomplishment. He is a very dedicated and loyal member of this agency and is going to work hard to direct, coach, mentor and professionally lead the Officers he supervises. Cpl. Duncan will be a great addition to our supervision team."




Wednesday, December 14, 2016

CPD Lieutenant Receives Leadership Award

Over the past year, Asst. Support Services Bureau Commander Lt. Matt Baldwin has attended the FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association’s (LEEDA Supervisor Leadership Institute, Command Leadership Institute and Executive Leadership Institute program. 

During the course of his studies, Lt. Baldwin engaged in topics to include personality diagnostics, leadership case studies, mentoring, developing your people, performance     management, risk management and credibility.  In addition, he was involved in such areas as command discipline and liability, dealing with problem employees, and leading change within an organization.  Furthermore, the Lieutenant engaged in other studies such as generational leadership, paradigms and change objectives, power and influence, transactional and transformational leadership, and the future of law enforcement.

Lt. Baldwin just recently completed this intense program and has been awarded the FBI/LEEDA Trilogy Award and will be recognized for this very important accomplishment     during the City Council Meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 5, 2017. 

Lt. Matt Baldwin
Canton Police Chief Mark J. Mitchell stated, “I am extremely proud of Lt. Baldwin for the commitment, dedication and hard work he put into finishing such a very important training   program.  All of our employees are vital to the success of this organization so, we must invest in their career development which not only improves their skill sets but also continues to     develop our department into a premier professional agency that supports our employees and the community we serve.” 

Chief Mitchell added, “One of our training goals for the new fiscal year is to continue to send our supervisors to this vital program with the objective of having all of our leaders obtain the Trilogy Award in the future.”  
 


 
 


Thursday, December 1, 2016

Community Active Shooter Training


The Police Department in partnership with the First Baptist Church of Canton will be hosting a community training program for Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE). This course is designed and built on the Avoid, Deny, Defend  strategy that was developed by the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center located at Texas State University. Agency instructors will be teaching this course that is designed to provide strategies, guidance and a proven plan for surviving an active shooter event.

This extremely important program is open to all citizens and will be held on Thursday, December 8, 2016 from 6:30—8:00 pm., at the First Baptist Church of Canton located at 1 Mission Point, Canton Ga. 30114. Seating will be at a premium and on a first come - first serve basis. Children are welcome to attend but parental guidance is strongly recommended as some of the presented material will contain scenes that are sensitive to some viewers.

Chief of Police Mark J. Mitchell stated, “Throughout this year, we have held CRASE events around our City and the program has been a huge success. Close to a thousand citizens previously attended the life saving training that was very well received. I strongly believe this interaction is another avenue where we can establish long lasting relationships and trust with our community. Additionally, this also educates our community on the fact that all law enforcement in Cherokee County is educating our citizens on how to respond and react to an Active Shooter incident.”

Chief Mitchell added, “I would like to thank the First Baptist Church for working with us to host such an important community event.”    
 


Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Dumpster Days

This Saturday, November 19, 2016, the City of Canton will be conducting “Dumpster Days”.  This is an opportunity for any resident of the City of Canton to dispose of trash or unwanted items free of charge.  The event is taking place at City Hall, located a t 151 Elizabeth St from 8:30 AM until 1:00 PM.  Please bring proof of residency when dropping items off.

Dumpster Days is being conducted by the Police Department’s Code Enforcement Division, in partnership with the City Public Works Department, Waste Management Systems and Revolution Church.

Previous Dumpster Days events have removed eleven (11) fully loaded roll-off containers full of refuse and eleven (11) dump truck loads of trash.  The junk that was removed from of our community included mattresses, sofas, large appliances, over ninety (90) tires and a multitude of other waste from residential yards, ditches and wooded areas.  In all, over thirty-one (31) tons of rubbish was removed from  locations in our City.   

Chief of Police Mark J. Mitchell stated, “This program is an excellent example of how partnerships and working together can make a huge impact on our community.  I cannot commend our Officers, Waste Management Systems, the City Public Works Department and Revolution Church enough for their dedication, effort and passion with this project.  Furthermore, the combined focus and work to clean up these parts of our community will go a long way toward reducing the potential for criminal activity which greatly increases the quality of life for the citizens we serve.”


**Special Note** We cannot accept fuel tanks, motor oil, fuel drums, household hazardous waste, antifreeze, paint, paint thinners, pesticides, pool chemicals or commercial waste.  If you have any questions please contact our Code Enforcement Officer - Joel Parker by phone: 770-720-4883 or by e-mail: joel.parker@canton-georgia.com


Thursday, November 10, 2016

Coffee with a Cop

The Police Department’s next Coffee with a Cop community event will be held on Thursday, November 17, 2016 from 8:00  -  10:00 am., at the Dunkin Donuts located at 121 Marietta Hwy, Canton, Ga.  This program continues to grow and allows the agency and citizens to  connect, engage and build important trusting relationships that are vital to improving the quality of life for everyone in the community.

Chief Mark J. Mitchell stated, “We strongly believe Coffee with a Cop has become one of the most important monthly programs that we are involved in that is vital to us connecting with the citizens we serve.  Given the current tense environment in our nation between communities and law enforcement, we feel this program helps to build a foundation of trust with each segment of our community and continues to grow a very positive culture between our hard working department and this great City.” 

Chief Mitchell said, “I want to thank our citizens for their support and feedback which greatly assists us in providing better police services and also “humanizes the badge” to both adults and children.  Our hope is that our citizens will see that we truly care about them, their quality of life, their safety and what goes on in our City.”

Chief Mitchell added, “I would like to thank Dunkin Donuts and their management team for inviting us to be a part of such an important community event.”   
 


Friday, November 4, 2016

Department Store Robbery

On November 4, 2016, at approximately 12:34 pm, Canton Officers responded to 2034 Cumming Highway, Khol’s Department Store, in reference to a robbery that occurred. The suspects left the scene in a pickup truck prior to the Officers arrival. Officers determined the suspects verbally threatened to use a weapon against the Loss Prevention Employees who were attempting to stop the theft.  No weapon was displayed.

Surrounding agencies were issued a BOLO of the suspects and vehicle’s description. Approximately ten minutes later, a Cherokee County Sheriff’s Deputy located the vehicle in the downtown Ball Ground area where they were apprehended. The suspects were charged and taken to the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center.  

Male Suspect: Yeovany Perez of Ball Ground, GA
34 yrs. Old
Hispanic Male 
Charged with: 1 count Robbery (OCGA 16-8-40) and 1 count Terroristic Threats (OGCA 16-11-37)

Female Suspect: Abigayil Perez of Ball Ground, GA
33 years old
White female 
Charged with: 1 count Robbery (OCGA 16-8-40)

The Canton Police Department would like to thank the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Ball Ground Police Department and Cherokee Marshall’s Office for their assistance.



Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Police in the Park "Unity in our Community"



The Canton Police Department is hosting “Police in the Park”, an event for the whole family, on Saturday, November 5, 2016. This event was created to promote Canton Police’s “Unity in our Community” initiative, which is a community policing program that is designed to improve communications and foster relationships between the police force and the community we serve.
“The Police in the Park and 5K run event provides our department and the community the opportunity to interact, build relationships, partnerships and increase the vital trust needed during this time in our nation's history. Our mindset and attitude here is to be innovative and active with our Community Policing efforts and programs because not only are we supposed to protect our citizens but we are also charged to engage with our Community. We believe that a healthy balance of the two (2) works extremely well to improve the Quality of Life in our great City.”– Mark Mitchell, Chief of Police

This event will feature a 5k run as well as a Kids Fun Run, jump houses, food, music and plenty of entertainment for the whole family. The 5k run will begin at 9 am, followed by the Fun Run and the food and entertainment be from 10:30 am until 1 pm. Special police demonstrations featuring public safety vehicles, like the Georgia State Patrol helicopter, will be the highlight of the event. Registration for the race can be found at: www.raceroster.com. The Canton Police Department would like to invite everyone out to enjoy “Police in the Park”!

 

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Moose Lodge Honors First Responders

The Canton Moose Lodge recently honored First Responders from both Cherokee and Pickens’ Counties at its annual Community Service Awards Banquet on Monday, October 3, 2016.

The event hosted Todd Hayes, Cherokee County's assistant solicitor general, as this year’s keynote speaker.

Following the speech, members of the Canton Moose Lodge presented awards to several employees from the Canton Police Department.

Recognized at this year’s banquet were (pictured left to right):
Officer of the Year – Operations Division – Officer Allison Gerdes
Employee of the Year - Records – Antoinette Jackson
Officer of the Year – Support Services – Cpl. Jesse Ray



The Canton Police Department would like to congratulate everyone who received an award.

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Bank Robbery Arrest

Arrest of BB&T Bank Robbery Suspect

On September 20, 2016, information was obtained in regards to a possible suspect in the robbery of the BB&T Bank located at 152 Prominence Pointe Parkway, Canton Georgia. This information was provided from the public after soliciting assistance through media and social media outlets by our Community Relations Officer.

The Uniform Patrol Division and the Criminal Investigations Division was able to obtain further incriminating information that was verified to identify and arrest the suspect.

The investigation is ongoing to be followed up on as additional information is generated during the identification and arrest of the suspect.

The suspect was identified as John S. Adams, 59 years of age from Canton Ga.  He was arrested without incident and taken to the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center.  Adams was charged with Robbery O.C.G.A. 16-8-40.


Thursday, September 8, 2016

"What to Expect During a Traffic Stop"

This past July, the City of Canton hosted a unity meeting and invited members of the local clergy, Police Chief Mark Mitchell, and Mayor Gene Hobgood. Due to recent national events, the focus of the meeting was to discuss continued efforts to build trusting relationships between the Police Department and the citizens it serves. Participants noted that the relationship between the Police Department 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.

As a result of the meeting, a “What to Expect During a Traffic Stop” educational brochure in both English and Spanish has been created.  The objective 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 hope is, this information will continue to improve relationships    between the City of Canton, the Police Department and the Community by providing valuable insights for all parties, while building a foundation of trust and success for the future.

This pamphlet is currently in print and will be handed out to citizens during Community      Outreach events.  It will also be available via the Police Department’s social media pages and will be produced into an education video at some point in the near future.   
  
Chief Mark J. Mitchell stated, “The goal and purpose of this brochure is to clearly relay that education and communication are the key components to keeping city residents, those     passing through our city and police officers safe.  We are proud to partner with our local Clergy on this project and look forward to uniting with them on additional projects in the future with the goal of improving the Quality of Life for everyone in our Community.”

Attachments: “What to Expect During a Traffic Stop” – 


English https://www.scribd.com/document/323380737/Canton-Police-Traffic-Stop-Expectations-Press-Release

“What to Expect during a Traffic Stop” – Spanish -https://www.scribd.com/document/323380736/Canton-Police-Traffic-Stop-Expectations-Spanish


Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Officers Promoted

During a promotion ceremony held Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at Canton City Hall, three (3) Canton Police Officers were promoted to higher ranks within the police department. Each of these Officers recently participated in a promotional process, were selected for promotion and to take on more leadership responsibility within the organization.

Chief Mark J. Mitchell presented the Officers with their Attention to Orders and their family members pinned their new supervisor badges on their uniforms.

Corporal James McPherson was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. He has been with the Police Department for over three (3) years and previously spent six (6) years with the City of Kennesaw Police Department.

Officer Mary Turner was promoted to the rank of Corporal and has been with the Police Department for two (2) years.

Officer Jesse Ray was promoted to the rank of Corporal. He has been with the Police Department for over four (4) years and previously spent over five (5) years with the City of Gainesville Police Department.


Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Bank Robbery

On Tuesday, September 6, 2016 at approximately 10:51 AM, the BB&T Bank Located at 152 Prominence Point Pkwy, reported a robbery.  The suspect walked into the bank and demanded money.  No weapon was shown.

The suspect left with an undisclosed amount of money in a possible light blue older Ford Thunderbird or Mercury Cougar from the bank toward Marietta Hwy.

Anyone with information is asked to call 678-493-4080.  All calls are confidential and you may remain anonymous.

Bank security photos:








Thursday, August 18, 2016

Dumpster Days

For the past two (2) Saturdays, the Police Department’s Code Enforcement Division, in partnership with the City Public Works Department, Waste Management Systems and Revolution Church, has   conducted an event coined, “Dumpster Days.”  This new program has been a huge success in         different segments of our community.  Large refuse roll-off containers were delivered first on August 6, 2016 to the Canton Village Shopping Center parking lot off Marietta Rd. followed by additional containers that were delivered to an area near the Canton Paw-Park off Juniper St. on August 13, 2016. 

Additionally, during the event on August 13th, Revolution Church sent over one-hundred (100) volunteers to help clean up the area near and around Juniper Street.  Furthermore, the Church provided , hotdogs, jump houses for children, Spanish Interpreters to speak with citizens and even provided haircuts to those who are less fortunate that live in the area. 

As a result of this joint initiative and everyone’s hard work, the Dumpster Days events removed eleven (11) fully loaded roll-off containers full of refuse and eleven (11) dump truck loads of trash.  The junk that was removed from these segments of our community included mattresses, sofas, large appliances, over ninety (90) tires and a multitude of other waste from residential yards, ditches and wooded areas.  In all, over thirty-one (31) tons of rubbish was removed from these locations in our City.   

Furthermore, this new program in the future will be held one (1) Saturday a month in locations that are identified by Code Enforcement through complaints, enforcement and patrols as areas that have issues with trash, refuse and junk in and around streets, wooded areas and residences.  At this time, the Police Department’s Code Enforcement Officers are working to identify upcoming event dates and urges our citizens to monitor the City’s website, Facebook page and the agency’s social media pages for updates and further information.    

Chief of Police Mark J. Mitchell stated, “This program is an excellent example of how partnerships and working together can make a huge impact on our community.  I cannot commend our Officers, Waste Management Systems, the City Public Works Department and Revolution Church enough for their dedication, effort and passion with this project.  Furthermore, the combined focus and work to clean up these parts of our community will go a long way toward reducing the potential for criminal activity which greatly increases the quality of life for the citizens we serve.”



Thursday, July 28, 2016

Homicide Investigation


Update July, 29, 2016 at 11:08 AM:

The family of the victim has been notified in the homicide that occurred on Thursday, July 28. The victim has been identified as Edel Cortes Mendoza, 41 years old of Canton Georgia.


The suspect, Ylarrio Garcia Jarquin, 41 years old of Canton Georgia was booked into the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center and charged with Murder (O.C.G.A 16-5-1).   

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At approximately 7:40 PM on July 28, 2016, Officers responded to a person shot at 491 Marietta Road (La Taqueria Oaxaquena). During the initial investigation of the scene and area, a male suspect was located inside the perimeter that was established upon initial response and arrested.

The male victim was taken to the WellStar Kennestone Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. His name will be released after family members and loved ones have been notified.

This is an active investigation and more information will be released when available.


The City of Canton Police Department would like to thank Georgia State Patrol, Georgia State Patrol Aviation Unit, Cherokee County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit, and Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.


Monday, July 25, 2016

Building Relationships

On July 22, 2016, the City of Canton hosted a unity meeting and invited members of the local clergy, Police Chief Mark Mitchell, and Mayor Gene Hobgood.  Due to recent national events, the focus of the meeting was to discuss continued efforts to build trusting relationships between the Police Department and the citizens it serves.  Participants noted that the relationship between the Police Department 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. 

As a result of the meeting, plans have been made for the future production of educational literature and a video that shows citizens what to 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. 
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.
From left to right: Pastor Tyrone Gates, Pastor Gregory Hughes, City Manager Billy Peppers, Mayor Gene Hobgood, Bishop Bobby Montgomery, Ms. Pat Tanner, Rev. Lemora Dobbs, Chief Mark Mitchell

From left to right: Mayor Gene Hobgood, Pastor Gregory Hughes, Ms. Pat Tanner, Bishop Bobby Montgomery, Rev. Lemora Dobbs, Chief Mark Mitchell, Pastor Tyrone Gates, City Manager Billy Peppers.




Friday, July 22, 2016

Canton Police and GBI Investigate Double Homicide

Update 4:15 PM, July 23, 2016

The families of the victims have been notified in the double homicide that occurred on Friday, July 22, 2016. The victims have been identified as siblings Omar Ruiz (23 years old) and Antonia Ruiz (27 years old) both of Canton GA.


Update 1:00 PM, July 22, 2016

Oscar Tierrablanca, 28 yrs. old from Dallas, Ga. has turned himself into authorities.  This individual is a suspect in the double homicide that occurred earlier today and is the father of the female victim’s 18 month old child.  It has been determined that the two victims were brother and sister.  The victims will be identified after family notifications have been made.

Oscar Tierrablanca will be booked into the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center and charged with two (2) counts of Murder (O.C.G.A 16-5-1).   

  

Update: 8:40 AM, July 22, 2016

A suspect of the double homicide is in custody and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Canton Police Department are still actively working this case.  The bodies of the victims will be taken to the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsy. Further updates will follow when available.


On Friday, July 22, 2016, at approximately 1:30 AM, Canton Officers responded to Laurels at Greenwood Apartment complex (1215 Hickory Flat Hwy, Canton, GA.) to an assault call at building 3000.  Upon arrival, Officers found a Hispanic male and female lying in the breezeway of the third floor from apparent stab wounds. The male was deceased and the female was transported to Northside Hospital – Cherokee where she was later pronounced dead.  No suspects were located.


The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was contacted and is working alongside CPD Detectives in the case.  The investigation is active and ongoing while GBI Agents and Canton Detectives pursue leads.  Anyone who has information is encouraged to contact the Canton Police Department at (678) 493-4080 or the GBI Tip Line at 1-800-597-8477.







Friday, July 1, 2016

Canton Police Partner with Hasty Elementary Fine Arts Academy

Its summer vacation and these long breaks from school could take a toll on the skills students worked so hard to learn during the school year. The Hasty Elementary Fine Arts Academy Summer Reading Program provides children with free books to help them maintain their reading skills over the summer. The program promotes a love for reading and learning and provides an opportunity for the community to come together. Parents also learn some skills that can help their children with reading skills. While participating in the summer reading program, children will learn such skills as critical thinking, social skills and the ability to speak in front of groups of people.


By partnering with the Canton Police Department, children and their families will be able to make connections with our officers and build community trust. “Children and families make connections with the police and get to understand that they are caring community leaders who are family oriented and love children” says Gwen Freeman, Parent Involvement Facilitator, of Hasty Elementary Fine Arts Academy . The police presence will serve to build relationships by spending time and listening to the families and break down any previous negative experiences or stereotypes associated with police amongst the community. Police presence at the summer reading program will also demonstrate the important “community advocate” role that officers serve through bringing the community together and creating a safe environment for everyone.

The Hasty Elementary Fine Arts Academy Summer Reading Program is open to all children and everyone is invited to participate. However, the school's Title I programs is intentional in taking reading into communities that lack transportation or that do not have the means to get to a Public Library. The program is for the benefit of all students and adults regardless of race or language which includes English Language Learners.


Feel free to stop by any of the following Hasty Elementary 
Fine Arts Academy Neighborhood Visits listed below and join in on the reading and fun!


July 1, 2016 @ 7:00PM – Heritage Park behind the YMCA

July 9, 2016 @ 7:00PM – Etowah River Park Near Hasty Elementary

“Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.” -Anthony Burgess






Monday, June 20, 2016

Mobile Fingerprint Scanner

                How do you know a person is lying about who they say they are? What if they don’t have a driver’s license or are wanted for a previous crime committed? Introducing the latest tool the Canton Police Department has implemented, the Data Works Plus Rapid-ID. The Canton Police Department is now among the growing number of Georgia agencies utilizing fingerprint matching technology to aid in criminal identification. Rapid-ID technology will use suspect fingerprints to search local databases in order to reveal possible aliases, physical descriptions and possibly mugshots. “The Rapid-ID also gives alerts to us if a person is on the sexual offender registry. They may try to lie about their identity if they are found to be in a location they should not be.”- Sergeant Rodney Campbell. The logic is that most criminals are already in your local databases. The technology is immediate and accurate. When the information captured by the device is compared against local and national databases come back with no hits, the information is then discarded. Rapid-ID use has already been beneficial to other Georgia law enforcement agencies. According to a report made by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, over fifty percent of the checks performed by Rapid-ID have resulted in hits for people already in local databases. The Rapid-ID technology will serve as a “double-check” tool for our officers.

It is another tool we can use to help identify a person. We have had instances where a person has used their roommate’s ID when they have gotten in trouble with the authorities causing problems for the person who’s ID was stolen. With the scanner, we can quickly make a positive ID of a person using a fingerprint.” –Sergeant Rodney Campbell


Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events

Are you prepared for an active shooter?  Please join us to learn how you can better prepare yourself for the unimaginable.

The City of Canton Police Department, in partnership with Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and Canton First United Methodist Church, will be hosting a community training program for Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events. This course is designed and built on the Avoid, Deny, Defend strategy that was developed by the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Center located at Texas State University. Agency Instructors will be teaching this instruction that is designed to provide strategies, guidance, and a proven plan for surviving an active shooter event. 

This event is open to all citizens. Seating will be at a premium and on a first come – first serve basis.  Children are welcome to attend but parental guidance is strongly recommended as some of the presented material will contain scenes that are sensitive to some viewers.

Monday, June 20, 2016
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Canton First United Methodist Church 
930 Lower Scott Mill Rd. Canton GA 30115

Sunday, June 12, 2016

Media Invited to Active Shooter Training

The Canton Police Department will be conducting Advance Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALEERT) and you’re invited.  The media will be given the opportunity to film and learn more about law enforcement efforts to prepare for the worst.  This training was scheduled prior to the recent active shooting event in Orlando FL (6/12/2016). 

This dynamic course of instruction is designed to prepare the first responder to isolate, distract, and neutralize an active shooter.  The course curriculum includes weapon manipulation, threshold evaluation, concepts and principles of team movement (including solo officer strategies), setting up for room entry and room entry techniques, approach and breaching the crisis site, follow-on responder tactics, improvised explosive devices (IED's), and post-engagement priorities of work.  The course will culminate with dynamic “force-on-force” scenarios.  This 8 hour training will give you the opportunity to witness the swift and immediate response that reflects the new kind of training used by law enforcement to engage a shooter.  You will also learn about the logistics planning to evacuate survivors and wounded.  The training will use active shooter role players using realistic weapons (Simunition®). 

When:          Monday-Friday this week (6/13-6/17) – choose one day to attend
8:00 am until 5:00 pm

Where:        The former Tippens Elementary School located at 8 Glenwood St., Canton Ga 30014.

Reservation: To reserve a spot at the training please contact:
    
     PIO Pacer Cordry
     678-852-4753

A multi-agency Active Shooter training is also being planned to prepare for each agency’s role within multiple responding agencies event at some point in the future.


Chief of Police Mark J. Mitchell stated, “Our agency just like the other departments in Cherokee County is working hard to prepare and be ready for an Active Shooter Event.  This vital training along with the Citizen Response to Active Shooter Training (CRASE) that all jurisdictions in our County have offered, not only ensures our citizens are prepared but makes certain that our dedicated Officers have the training they need to respond, react, contain and neutralize this type of threat in order to protect / serve the citizens in our community.”