Crime stoppers Grey Bruce says their program improves and maintains the quality of life in the 17 municipalities in the two counties. During January's Crime Stoppers month, organizers are taking the opportunity to share the far reaching benefits of the program.
From 2017 to 2021 information received from the public resulted in 138 arrests, 518 charges being laid, and the recovery of over $630,000 worth of property and cash. In addition anonymous tips have cleared the streets of over $1,500,000 worth of illicit drugs. Crime Stoppers is a community based program that uses the resources of the media, police and members of the public to solve crimes.
This year, Crime Stoppers of Grey Bruce is establishing a unique promotion and advertising campaign called "Hate is Not Anonymous - but your call is.” The new program is in response to a report released this past November by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. that concluded, "this country may now be at an important juncture, and the next two years might well prove to be a critical period of reckoning for race relations in Canada."
The tip line could help eliminate hate and racism in communities, as citizens can now anonymously report information about racism or hate-based groups or individuals.
"When someone spreads hate, they may do it from the shadows but do not wish to be anonymous regarding the targets of their hatred," says Peter Reid, Chair of the Board of Directors for Crime Stoppers of Grey Bruce. "Their intent is to dehumanize an individual or group and to sway the opinions of others. The more they pass along this hate the less anonymous they become. Sometimes all it takes is one anonymous tip to shine a light and put an end to it."
People can also report illegal drugs such as opioids, or human trafficking concerns, along with any other crime.
If you have information about a crime you are encouraged to call the toll-free number, 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at CSTIP.ca or utilize your P3 App. Tipsters are assigned a confidential code number to be used in all future dealings with Crime Stoppers. You will not be asked, nor expected, to identify yourself. As an encouragement for the public to call, the Crime Stoppers program does not subscribe to Call Display, does not have *69 capability, and does not voice record tip conversations.
Crime Stoppers is run by concerned citizens who make up the core group of volunteers and their Board of Directors. Crime Stoppers of Grey Bruce is not a police program nor is it a government supported organization. Rewards vary from $50 to $2,000 depending on the accuracy/usefulness of the information and the seriousness of the crime reported.
