Stark County Safe Communities

10/05/2026

The Safe Communities Coalition had a fantastic day at Canton South High School's Wellness Fair as we set up our table ahead of Homecoming 🏈💃 to engage students with fun and meaningful safe‑driving activities 🚗✨!
A huge thank‑you to our amazing partners who helped make the event such a success:
• Stark County Sheriff’s Office 👮‍♂️
• Ohio State Highway Patrol 🚓
• AAA Driving School 🎓🚘
Their support—along with the great interaction from the students 🙌—made for a fun and educational day. We loved seeing everyone participate, learn, and show enthusiasm for making our roads safer ❤️🛣️.

10/01/2026

The Safe Communities Coalition was proud to set up at the annual Raiders Don’t Drink and Drive event at the University of Mount Union! This event encourages students to make a lifelong commitment to always drink responsibly and never drive while impaired.
It’s great to see college students stepping up and choosing safe habits that protect themselves and their community. Thank you to everyone at Mount Union who helped make this event impactful. 💜🚗✨

10/01/2026

In September, the Safe Communities Coalition hosted an educational event called Keep Seniors Driving at the Jackson Township Safety Center. This program focused on helping older drivers stay confident and safe on the road, with important information about navigating roundabouts, dual left-hand turns, how aging can affect driving abilities, and common scams targeting seniors.
We were honored to welcome an incredible group of guest speakers who shared their expertise and guidance, including representatives Chief Maskaluk and Major Novelli from the Stark County Sheriff's Office, Paul Moser from AAA Driving School, Julie Dominik from Cleveland Clinic Mercy, Lt. Collins from Jackson Township Police, Deputy Chief Kai Rieger and Inspector Denny Tan Jackson Fire, Lt. Maier from the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Honorable Judge Scassa from Massillon Municipal Court, and State Representative Matthew Kishman.
Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to making this event so impactful. Together, we’re helping keep our senior community informed, empowered, and safe behind the wheel! 🚗💙

09/30/2026

Free Alcohol Safety Training Offered to Local Businesses

STARK COUNTY, Ohio, September 30, 2026 – The Safe Communities Coalition, part of the Stark County Sheriff’s Office, is announcing free alcohol safety training for local businesses.

Most businesses that sell and/or serve alcohol do so responsibly; however, the illegal sale and misuse of alcohol is an important issue that continues to impact Stark County. Underage sales and over-serving of alcohol can result in crime, health complications, injuries, and even death.

The Stark County Sheriff’s Office, Stark County Safe Communities, Esber Beverage, and Drug Free Stark County are collaborating to offer free TIPS® training to businesses that sell or serve alcohol. TIPS is a nationally recognized program that trains bartenders, waitstaff, and retail vendors on responsible alcohol service. The training teaches legal responsibilities, fake ID identification, and tips to recognize intoxication to prevent underage drinking and drunk driving. This training may:

• Help businesses be protected from DUI/OVI liability
• Help lower business insurance premiums
• Help prevent liquor sales to minors
• Increase consumer respect for professional standards

TIPS educates and empowers employees to take a proactive approach toward preventing alcohol misuse while maintaining control of the environment. For a business that serves or sells alcohol, offering this training will help to reduce the chance that an alcohol-related incident will occur. The training also demonstration care and concern to customers.

While the training is free, space is limited and reservations are required. To register, contact Laura Miller at (330) 430-3835 or by e-mail at [email protected] and provide the names of all employees who will attend. Participants must be present for the full three-hour session. Refreshments will be provided.

Training Date: Friday, October 23, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Location: Stark County Sheriff’s Office, 4500 Atlantic Blvd. NE, Canton, OH 44705

Interested business are encouraged to register early as the training fills quickly.

08/28/2026

🚗✨ CarFit Event at the Louisville YMCA! ✨🚗
We had a fantastic time conducting a CarFit session today at the Louisville Area YMCA! Thank you to everyone who stopped by to get their vehicle checked for optimal comfort, safety, and fit.
CarFit is all about helping older adults make sure their cars are adjusted properly—everything from mirror alignment to seat positioning—so driving can be safer and more comfortable. It was wonderful meeting members of the community and helping ensure everyone is set up for success on the road.
A huge shout-out to the Louisville YMCA for hosting and to all the volunteers who made the event run smoothly. Looking forward to the next one! 🚘💙

08/24/2026

Registration is now open for the Keep Seniors Driving event at the Jackson Township Safety Center
Sponsored by St. Joseph Senior Living, this free educational day offers helpful tips for driving as we age and provides a unique opportunity to engage with local law enforcement during our panel discussion.
Seats are limited, so be sure to reserve your spot today!

08/23/2026

08/17/2026

The Safe Communities Coalition partnered with the Stark County Sheriff’s Office at Neon Nights to share safe driving education with concert attendees using our Spin Wheel of Traffic Safety Questions!
We focused especially on the dangers of driving impaired, and everyone who took a spin and tried to answer a question received a cooling towel — a huge hit for beating the heat throughout the day.
Thank you to the incredible Neon Nights staff for welcoming us and allowing us to be part of this year’s concert series. We appreciate the opportunity to help keep our community safe! 🌟🚗💙

08/14/2026

The Safe Communities Coalition kicked off the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign with a fun and educational Traffic Trivia Night at Harmon's! 🚗✨
A big thank‑you to Harmon's for hosting this great event and helping us bring important safety information to the community.
We also appreciate the Stark County Sheriff’s Office and the Canton Police Department for partnering with us and helping shine a light on the dangers of impaired driving.
Guests put their knowledge to the test, learned valuable safety tips, and our trivia winners took home Uber gift cards to encourage safe rides home.
We want everyone to make good decisions—always plan ahead if you’ll be drinking. Your safety and the safety of others on the road matters. 💛
Stay safe, Stark County!

08/10/2026

Looking for something fun to do on Thursday night? Come join us at Harmon's Pub. Good food, fun games of trivia...and great prizes from Stark County Safe Communities!