Crime Stoppers has been around in Saskatoon since 1987 but it’s the service’s latest results three decades later that are really remarkable.
The program’s 2017 data was released on Friday, highlighting a banner year of busts as anonymous tips poured in from the public helping to crack unsolved cases.
“You have no idea the behind-the-scenes stuff that your ‘share or your like’ does,” Crime Stoppers co-ordinator Cst. Ryan Ehalt said.
“The tips that we naturally receive as a result of that — you’re reaching people for us that we couldn’t.”
WATCH BELOW: Cst. Ryan Ehalt believes humour helped Saskatoon Crime Stoppers have a record year in 2017
Some posts have reached as many as 100,000 people, shared by keyboard warriors who are fed up with crime.
“When you take a look at the importance of public input into solving crimes — Crime Stoppers — I can sincerely say today that it is a major part of our investigatory process,” Supt. Brian Shalovelo said.
Ehalt said an increase in social media has been a huge game changer in helping police close in on suspects. The clever sense of humour also featured in the videos hasn’t hurt either in terms of viewer engagement.
“We found that people were really responding to that.”
As a result, the posts have led to red hot leads and police are solving more crimes through this method than ever before.
Here are just some of the statistics from 2017:
- 1,452 tips received, up 38 per cent from 2016 and a record amount for the program.
- 104 solved investigations, up 246 per cent from 2016 and a number not seen since 2005.
- 205 charges laid in the investigations, up 153 per cent from 2016.
- 35 arrests, up 53 per cent over last year.
- 40 crooks were nabbed connected to 40 break and enters.
“We want you looking over your shoulder, we want you looking at your friends thinking if you commit crime are they going to provide that anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers?” Ehalt added.
“The answer is yes, because we pay up to $2,000 for any information that leads to an arrest.”
Another interesting bit of data in 2017 was that $8,725 was approved in cash rewards but only 66 per cent of tipsters actually picked up the money.
“The fact that they can help make our community safe, to a lot of them, I think that’s thanks enough,” Shalovelo said.
“Those people who do want to pick up the reward, that’s excellent too. Whatever motivates people to make our community safer is really the key.”