Residents urge council to investigate CPS and allege police rights violations during public comment

Several Canton residents used the public-comment period at the council meeting to press elected officials to investigate Child Protective Services and to review police conduct.

Jeff Bowman, who said he represents Aaron Shopping Plaza, asked the city for clarification after receiving conflicting guidance from zoning and building engineering about removing structural signs at the old McKinley Theater; he warned that removing those signs could destabilize the building and asked city staff to follow up. “We’ve contacted zoning and building engineering ... we’re getting 2 or 3 different answers,” Bowman said. The city’s safety director offered to meet with him after the meeting.

Joshua Aaron Brown told the council that Canton police and CPS had violated his rights and said CPS had “kidnapped my child.” Brown said he had police records and video to support his claims and asked the council for oversight of CPS. “Something needs to happen. If you guys care about our children, please do something,” he said.

Justin Nisely (gave address) accused the city of viewpoint discrimination and said officers at a recent rally showed ignorance of constitutional rights. “The first amendment is the most important amendment,” Nisely said, and urged the city to produce records and body-camera footage related to a March 28 rally. He said the city had failed a First Amendment audit and promised continued public pressure until policies he called unlawful were changed.

Other residents also criticized the council and said they felt their free-speech rights were being curtailed. Sheila Billman called the council “criminalistic and sadistic,” and Daniel Gates accused the council of conducting a “secret town hall” at a church.

Council members repeatedly cautioned speakers for profanity and for going off-topic, citing Rule 15 (no obscenities) and other speaker rules. Several council members emphasized that the city does not have authority over CPS or the county courts. “We do not control CPS, and we do not control the judges,” the president said, noting the limits of the council’s jurisdiction.

Several speakers said they would submit video or records to the city. The safety director and other staff offered to meet privately with individuals who raised specific operational concerns. Council members suggested distributing and having speakers acknowledge meeting rules to reduce future decorum disputes.

The meeting record shows no formal action taken by the council against CPS or the police at this session; members instead noted the limits of municipal authority and referred specific operational or structural concerns (for example, Bowman’s zoning question) to staff for follow-up.