Media outlets don’t know their names – or what they shared – but more than a thousand people sent in anonymous tips that helped Regina police in 2019.
Regina Crime Stoppers released its yearly statistical report Monday, reporting a record-breaking 1,295 tips received last year.
“You don’t know why a tipster is trying to give information, but likely it’s to keep themselves safe or someone else safe,” said Craig Perrault, Regina Crime Stoppers president.
Those tips led to 25 arrests and 62 charges laid, respective increases from 22 and 55 in 2018.
More impressive, the Regina Police Service cleared 52 cases in 2019 – a 125 per cent increase from the year prior.
“These are cases where we needed to get to the finish line, and Crime Stoppers helped us get there,” said Regina Police Chief Evan Bray, adding a case can clear a number of ways.
“Sometimes it means we don’t have a charge that we can lay because it rules out someone as a suspect or it takes us down a different path.”
Bray said every tip is investigated by police and has value – even if it’s simply a confirmation of facts already known to investigators.
“It’s a matter of getting out there, telling them this platform exists and here’s what they can do with it,” – Craig Perrault, Regina Crime Stoppers president
While they can’t give specifics for cases directly solved with tips, as that could breach anonymity, he did note most deal with drugs and roadway crimes like impaired driving.
Since the non-profit began operating in Regina 35 years ago, Crime Stoppers’ tips have helped clear 3,970 cases.
Increased outreach to teens, newcomers
In 2019, Crime Stoppers increased its outreach efforts, interacting directly with high school students and developing a program for newcomers.
“It’s a matter of getting out there, telling them this platform exists and here’s what they can do with it,” Perrault said.
He said social media, in particular, has helped Crime Stoppers disseminate information in real-time, helping police faster than traditional methods.
The anonymous service also offers rewards for information and handed out more than $9,000 in 2019.
For comparison, police were able to recover $92,470 worth of property and drugs over the same period.
Anyone with information about a crime can contact Regina Crime Stoppers anonymously by phone at 1-800-222-TIPS, online at reginacrimestoppers.ca, or by downloading the app.