Canton residents fight crime by hanging up lights along dimly lit streets
BALTIMORE -- For years, a man has been working to light up every block in Canton to keep criminals out of his neighborhood.
WJZ first met Chris Broughton in 2021, so we thought we'd check in on how effective his efforts have been.
The public Baltimore City Police Department data map shows that the number of crimes in Canton are up, but some categories are seeing declines.
The lights around Canton give the neighborhood a nice feel, and for many neighbors, a feeling of safety.
"We have two dogs at home. So, we are constantly in and out, and that late-night run," neighborhood resident Lauren Siebel said.
Seibel has lived in the neighborhood for a few years and appreciates the vibe the lights bring.
"It definitely feels safer when it's all lit up at night, when we're running across to the park and coming back home," she said.
Jeanne Demoss agrees that the lights are "aesthetically pleasing."
"I work at the hospital and I ride—usually in the evening after dark. So, it's nice," she said. "I park over on the street. It's nice that it's lit up. I feel safer."
Roughly 60 blocks are covered with lights, according to Broughton who is part of the Canton Community Association. But how effective are they?
Police data shows that over the past year, there have been 558 total crimes in the neighborhood. That's up from 400 in 2020.
But, some crimes, like robberies and burglaries, have decreased. Broughton believes that means the lights are doing their job.
"One thing I usually do notice on neighborhood Facebook groups and [platforms like] NextDoor is a lot of the crime is happening in poorer-lit situations," he said.
In the years since Broughton has put up the lights, he has gotten closer to his neighbors. He calls it an unintended benefit.
"If your neighbors know you, then they know this person doesn't belong at that house, at that doorstep, or in that car," he said. "So, that community building is a huge, huge piece to this."
Broughton would love to light up all of Canton. He said he hopes to get more of his neighbors involved in the effort. Also, he is looking into grants to pay for it all.
Broughton said he would like to see more neighborhoods lit up.
If you'd like to see some lights strung up on your block, then Broughton recommends reaching out to your community association to get the ball rolling.
