WELLINGTON COUNTY – Last year not only marked the 30th Anniversary of Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington (CSGW), it also marked a 23 per cent increase in tips for the program.
For the calendar year, 894 tips were provided by anonymous tipsters who wanted to confidentially report crime in their communities, CSGW officials state in a press release.
Thanks to those tips, 12 cases were cleared, 12 arrests made and a total of 37 charges were laid. The CSGW board of directors approved $2,920 in rewards for successful tips.
“The effectiveness of this program rests with the involvement of the community,” said program coordinator Sarah Bowers-Peter.
“And these numbers prove that more tipsters are providing information to help solve crime.”
CSGW board Chair Rick Beazley was pleased with the year-end results.
“There has been such an effort to get out in the community, whether it is a fundraiser, an awareness event or through our media partners and social media platforms, that I’m not surprised with the increase in tip volume,” said Beazley.
“People know we are available to them 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and they are taking advantage of our pledge to keep them anonymous, and their information confidential. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
Beazley added, “It’s gratifying to know that with our tipsters, 12 cases have been solved. These would be outstanding, possibly with individuals continuing to offend.”
CSGW cannot provide information about the individual cases it has assisted with tip information, as it may jeopardize the safety of tip providers. However, the program’s statistics can measure the effectiveness of the program, and the impact tips have when it comes to keeping local communities safe.
There are two ways to contact CSGW with information about crime: the toll-free number 1-800-222-TIPS or via the website www.csgw.tips.
Anyone with questions or wanting to arrange for a presentation to their community group, club or organization, is urged to call. Presentations can be requested through the website and under the “Contact Us” section.
