Vice President JD Vance says Lawlessness is headed in the center of Canton. Some residents disagree

Canton – John Strauss lives in the area for 31 years and 15 years in the city center.

He was never a problem for him.

“It’s an extremely safe place to be,” said the 66-year-old owner of Strauss Studios Downtown. “People who come to the city center to visit our shops often notice it. They say, ‘We are afraid to go down here, but now that we are here, we see it safe, and we didn’t know what we were worried about. “

Vice President JD Vance, who recently visited the Metallus FairCrest steel factory in Perry, to promote the Trump Administration One Big Beautiful Bill, painted a much different city center image.

“How many of you all wanted to eat to Akron’s center or city center Canton or Columbus in the city center, but you are worried because the local authorities of these big cities allowed the illegal run?” Vance asked steel workers and others who came to the factory. “We have to make great American cities for families and children again.”

Following these comments, the Canton repository talked to those living and working in the city center, as well as public officials about their views on crime and security in the area. The city also provided crime statistics showing that the city center is becoming safer.

“Growing up in Chicago, he lived in New York, with relatively speaking, it is nothing like those areas,” Strauss said.

Did crime rise in Canton? Police data set a reduced level

In recent years, data from the Canton City Police Department show that violent crimes in the city center have been reduced last year. Fifty -six incidents were recorded in 2024, less than 58 last year. 2022 72 violent crimes were recorded and 69 a year ago.

“The concept of the canton of the unintentional city center is unfounded and statistically unfounded,” said Mayor William Sherer II in a statement.

Property -related crime also decreased last year in the city center with 77 incidents. This is a decrease in more than 25% from 2023, with 104 incidents. Public -related crimes also decreased from six recorded incidents in 2023. Up to four incidents last year.

The Criminal Justice Council in Washington 2025 In July In crime trends, the murders during the first six 2025 Months decreased by 17% from the first six 2024. Months.

A non -partial group of criminal justice ministers watched 13 crimes in 42 US cities. Of those 13 crimes, 11 decreased in the first six months of the six years, compared to the first six 2024. Months; Severe attacks decreased by 10%, weapon attacks decreased by 21%and sexual assault decreased by 10%.

In terms of property crimes, the robberies decreased by 20% from the first six 2024. Months before the first six 2025 Months, while Carjackings decreased by 24%. Two crimes that did not decrease, there were crimes of drugs that remained stable and domestic violence that grew 3%.

This does not mean that Americans believe that cities are safer. Public perception of crime does not always follow true crimes.

2024. October In a Gallup survey, 49% of Americans said there were more crimes in their districts than a year ago. Another 34 percent. Argued that crime was less, and 13 percent. He said he remained the same.

Asked if there were more crimes in the US than a year ago, 64% said there were more, and 29% said they were less.

2024. A Gallup survey showed a better perception of last year: 2023. October 55% of Americans said there were more crimes in their area than a year ago, and only 28% said there was less crime. And 77% stated that in 2023 There were more crimes in the US, and only 16% said crime in the US had fallen since last year.

Strauss about Vance’s comments, “I can’t even imagine where that statement comes from.”

Strauss said the crime had little impact on his business.

“In 15 years we had one rock through the window, which seemed to be casual vandalism, but they were not interested in breaking down or stealing something,” he said. “I can’t even imagine where that statement comes from.”

Strauss argued that the provision that canton is related to crime is probably based on fear, and the best way to fight it is to encourage people to visit.

“We just didn’t have any problems,” he said. “If you want to solve a problem and make a big story, I think you can do it if you are a politician, but it is not based on any reality I have seen.”

“Now I feel much safer than what I have in the past,” says a Canton hotel employee

Toni Simpson, a hotel worker living in the Canton area, said he felt like a crime that could be unseen, but the police are doing a lot of good work.

“As if I got into a situation … And it scared me to death, I really don’t want to go into the details, but it was a really scary situation and I will be honest, the cops got into 10, 15 minutes,” she said. “(Before) I was as follows, ‘These cops don’t care’ but … they got involved in protecting me. I felt much better.”

Simpson said the experience gave her a new rating to the police in the city center.

“Now I feel much safer than what I have in the past,” she said.

Simpson said crime has been reduced in recent years.

“I feel obviously down because I see police cars every five or 10 minutes,” she said. “And I feel they controlled it.”

“This is one of the safest cities I have ever been to,” says Canton area line Cook

Kahli Murphy, 44, a 33 -year -old Bubba chef in Jackson, said he has been living in a canton for the last three years. He said the idea that the city center would be executed with “laws” did not seem appropriate.

“Wherever you (you can) go, it is negative and positive, but it is one of the safest cities I have ever been,” he said. “I just think they, honestly, do a great job.”

This year, Murphy was affected by a fire in an apartment building in the 415 11th street NW, and he said the city’s response was great.

“Mayor, he did a great job,” he said. “They entered the hotel rooms for up to a month, and most of us provided housing coupons (for) those who have not yet found housing.”

Murphy stated that although there are crimes in the city center, it is not a city factor on any turn.

“If you are in a beautiful forest and see two bad trees, you are not going to say, ‘Oh, this is a terrible forest for these two bad trees,” he said. “You have to look at the whole forest.”

Murphy stated that if you need to resolve something in the area, it is poverty.

“According to him, employment is what it takes.” I always thought that employment helped to maintain poverty and threats and harm … When everyone works together, pulling their part in the community. “

“It has its own ups and downs”: Canton’s native is considering perception of crime

Kylee Martin, 18, said she was divided on the matter because she believed to be the merits to both sides of the argument.

“Because I grew up here, I (I feel safe),” she said. “I know that a lot of my friends outside the canton, who do not live here when they come here, do not feel safe.”

Marmet said there is some danger that the district can see at night, but the same can be said elsewhere.

“After a while, you should not be in bad places of Canton at night, but in general it has its ups and downs, like every other city,” she said. “I don’t think it’s unsafe compared to any other city.”

Marmet said she felt that the police could do more to seduce the problem, but does not seem to have a lot to do to stop or soften the crime in the area after a certain point.

“Sometimes I will testify that people do things throughout the city, and the cops would be right here, and they really do nothing,” she said. “I don’t think someone will actually stop the crime rate that will rise up or down here. This will fluctuate.”

Canton officials reject Vance’s claims about “illegality”

Sherler said the vice president’s statements do not coincide with the data, indicating crime in reducing the major events in the center of the canton.

“The city of Canton is the record of the lowest percentages of the murder and due to the exceptional decline in the work of our investigators due to violent crimes,” he said.

Sherler also noted that the city recently set up a police substance in the city center to support residents and business owners directly.

“The center of our city is a safe space that can be enjoyed by our families,” he said.

Police chief John Gabbard said crime statistics do not support the Vice President’s comments.

“I am greatly encouraged by crime statistics in the city center and that is not surprising,” he said in a statement. “For three consecutive years, we have greatly reduced crime throughout the city. I think the business area of our city center is one of the safest city centers in Ohio. After adding our new substation, I hope that these statistics continue to fall.”

Includes reports from Canton Repository Nancy Molnar and Columbus Dispatch Writer Bailey Gallion.

This article initially appeared in the storage: does Downtown Canton have an “illegal” problem? What residents say