The 2018 Windsor-Essex Crime Stoppers program has seen a decline in phone tips from the public and arrests made.
However, program coordinator Amanda Allen said online tips are up 20 per cent and are better quality.
A Windsor police report presented to the police services board on Wednesday afternoon showed that 1,761 tips from the public led to 76 arrests and 323 charges laid in 2018. That's a drop from 1,929 tips and 113 arrests in 2017, but a jump from 270 charges.
Crime Stoppers paid $8,725 in reward money last year but recovered a total of $403,247. Property recovered amounted to $230,400 alone. Police also seized $135,303 in drugs and $37,544 in cash. Most of the drugs were seized in the last three months of 2018. The report also states 11 weapons and nine vehicles were recovered last year.
In 2017, the local Crime Stoppers program paid $15,300 in rewards and recovered a total of $459,121 in property and drugs. That's higher than in 2018.
Allen said in March of 2018, Crime Stoppers moved to a new software program to allow for more efficient and accurate tips to be received.
"The quality of the tips received are as important as quantity," she said.
The number of online or mobile phone tips received went from 802 in 2017 to 1009 in 2018.
"This 20% increase is something our office is very proud of. It means people are using the service at their convienence." said Allen. "It also allows a tip to be submitted in one of 20 different languages."
Crime Stoppers started in Windsor-Essex in 1985 and since then it has paid $787,177 in rewards and recovered $65 million in drugs, cash, and property.