Officers Act Fast To Save Lives

On the morning of Wednesday, June 2nd, at 3:30 AM, four (4) Canton Officers responded to Hidden Creek Subdivision regarding multiple homes engulfed in fire.  Officer Michael Caplan, Jesse Lee, Domenick Marotta and Sgt. Tayor Lilley arrived on the scene several minutes before Cherokee Fire began to fight the fire ripping through the neighborhood.

All of the officers assisted in saving residents trapped in a fenced backyard by pulling them over a neighboring fence as the fire destroyed the home.  These brave officers continued to go house to house to remove residence who were in danger of being killed by the fire.  They acted without concern for themselves in the face of danger as they strived to protect the lives of the residents. In one specific incident Sgt. Lilley and Officer Lee physically carried an elderly female unable to walk on her own to safety.

Three homes in the subdivision were destroyed by the fast-moving fire, and three additional homes received moderate to minor damage.

The Officers were honored with life-saving awards at the city council meeting held on Thursday, July 15, 2021.

Front Row (holding the awards): Officer Marotta, Officer Caplan. Officer Lee. Middle Row Deputy Chief W. Turner, Lt. J. Lummus, Chief S. Merrifield. Back row: Captain M. Baldwin, Captain J. Tucker. 

Canton Police Welcome New Officers

 The Canton Police held a swearing-in ceremony for two (2) of its newest officers on Thursday, July 15, 2021, at the Canton Public Safety and Municipal Court Complex.   Officer Paul Philpot and Officer Matthew Cruz were sworn into the department by Judge Thomas A. Roach.  Family, friends, and other members of the Canton Police force were in attendance to show their support.  Both officers bring two years of previous law enforcement experience to the department.

Chief Stephen Merrifield stated, "We feel these officers have the community mindset that lines up with the culture of our department.  We are excited to have them be part of our team."

Left to right: Cpt. J. Tucker, Deputy Chief Wendell Turner, Judge Thomas Roach, Ofc. Cruz, Ofc. Philpot, Chief Stephen Merrifield, Lt. Lummus, Cpt. Baldwin

Canton Police Department Unveils New Electric Motorcycles

The Canton Police Department is adding a new form of patrol, which will enhance community safety and support the City of Canton's sustainability goals. 

Canton Police Chief Stephen Merrifield announced that the department had added two new all-electric motorcycles to its fleet.  He stated, "The motorcycles will allow us to patrol our newly expanded park trail system and allow us to do it without emission and noise pollution."  "This will allow officers to engage more community members as we continue to build relationships and trust."

From left to right: Sgt. Mary Turner & Ofc. Michael Crowe

Three CPD officers have been trained and certified to operate the motorcycles.  They will be used regularly throughout the year for traffic enforcement, concerts, parades, trails, and special events.    

The Motorcycles are manufactured by Zero Motorcycles and are designed for on and off-road use.

For more information on the specifications of the motorcycles, please visit ZeroMotorcycles.com.

Media Advisory: Canton Officers will be available for interviews and demonstrations of the motorcycles on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, at 10:00 am in Etowah River Park (600 Brown Industrial Pkwy, Canton, GA 30114).  Please contact Public Information Officer Pacer Cordry (pacer.cordry@cantonga.gov) for more information. 

From left to right: Ofc. Michael Crowe & Sgt. Mary Turner