Canton neighborhood deters crime with street lights

By Jordan Schwartzberg
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer

Canton is turning on the lights.

The neighborhood in Southeast Baltimore has been on a mission for several months to thwart crime by lighting up streets and alleys at night to deter would-be criminals.

The creator of the project, Chris Broughton, has been setting up lights for numerous members of the Canton community.

“We decided to take point on setting up the lights not only to make everyone feel safe but also to bond the community together,” said Broughton, a member of the Canton Community Association. “People here tend to have the resources and connections to fix their communities. We hope by doing so, the government can help out other communities within the city who need more help than we do.”

To get their block lit up, each street in Canton that wants to participate designates a “Block Captain” who reaches out to Broughton via Facebook, phone, text or email. Broughton then works with them to get lights strung up on their street.

Broughton estimates that, on average, a normal block is spending $100 per house to get lit. The amount per person depends on a variety of factors, including how many people on the block participate and if there are any obstacles in setting up the lights.

Typically, a single house powers the lights for each block, but every block is different. Costs include materials and labor for installation. Some neighbors all pay together, while others have a neighbor or two that covers the cost.

To install the lights, Broughton and the neighbors install one anchor and hook on the front of each house. The lights are then connected via a cable to trees, poles, streetlights and other obstacles.

The lights not only serve to limit crime in Canton, they also provide a form of community bonding.

Even local restaurant Blue Hill Tavern is joining in.

The tavern is paying the cost of electricity to light up the 900-block of South Conkling Street. The lights are connected to a timer inside the restaurant. The lights are turned on seven days a week from 5 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Owner Mel Carter said the lights do not cost that much.

“Our neighbors do a great job in helping out with the costs,” Carter said. “Getting this all together was a coordinated effort that one of our neighbors organized. We try to do whatever we can to help the community, whether that be gift cards, fundraisers or donated box lunches to front line workers during the pandemic.”

The response from the project has been positive, Broughton said.

Brian Hopkins, a police major in the department’s Southeast District, said Canton has had 36 cases of larceny and property crimes and eight instances of violent crime between Jan. 1 and March 6. There were 49 homicides in the city up to March 8 – none in Canton. The city has since reached 60 homicides.

Although Canton hasn’t experienced too much major crime, community members who were interviewed said they still favor lighting their streets.

“When the lights aren’t on, it opens the block up to crime,” South Conkling Street resident Sam Lopresti said. “I’ve started to see the same areas being hit with crime. I believe that by turning on the lights, it not only provides the community with a feeling of safety, but it allows us to meet our neighbors.”

City residents are not alone in solving crime and repairing their communities. The Baltimore City Police Department and the Baltimore city government have both been working together to bring out the best of Baltimore.

Police officials have been attempting to bridge the divide between the community and the police department through community relations programs that include an explorer’s program and monthly commander crime calls.

These calls consist of numerous figureheads in the police department explaining to the public what they have done for the city and how they have gone about doing so.

“We will also be starting our community relations meetings next month,” Hopkins said. “It was on hold but we are excited to start it back up. At these meetings, we will let the community know about crime rates, educate them on safety tips, and hear their recommendations for the department.”

Councilmember Zeke Cohen, who represents Canton, said his First Council District set up a Southeast Public Safety Task Force in 2018. The task force consists of community leaders from across the district and serves to unite the community and encourage community members to take action in their neighborhoods.

“The task force serves to identify what strengths each community has,” said Joshua Thompson, Zeke’s chief of staff. “We then leverage those resources to better assist those in need. We also push anti-racism programs to ensure that all of our neighborhoods are welcoming to everyone.”

The task force does not help fund the lighting initiative, but rather connects those who want to partake with community members who have successfully lit up their blocks. The task force also pushes out any instances of grant funding that it thinks would be beneficial to the community.

Cleaning up the Baltimore community and improving the city’s crime rates is a team effort. With the citizens, police department, and the city government working together, the city hopes things will improve.

As of March 9, Baltimore City is on track for 192 total homicides by the end of 2021. If that number holds, 2021 will have the lowest homicide rate the city has seen since 1977. That year, there were 171 homicides, according to the BPD 1977 annual report.

Broughton and the rest of Canton continue to add streetlights to the neighborhoods and hope that by doing so, they not only keep their community safe, but create a sense of unity.