After nearly 40 years, Chatham-Kent Crime Stoppers remains a valuable resource to help Chatham-Kent police fight crime.
Article content
A Friday flag raising at the Civic Center in Chatham kicking off Crime Stoppers Month was a chance to look back at the agency’s 2024 achievements and promote its crime-fighting initiatives.
The 531 tips received in 2024 led to 15 arrests, 43 charges and recovery of $172,410 in illicit drugs and stolen property.
2024 was a “good year,” program co-ordinator Erica McIntosh said, “We’re down a little bit in drugs and property recovered, but we’re up in arrests and charges laid,” and tips received
“We get a lot of really great tips that have been proven successful in a lot of our investigations, whether they are major crime. . . or traditional road calls,” she said.
Asked about Crime Stoppers’ value to Chatham-Kent police, Insp. Matthew Stezycki said, “I think it’s a very good indication of how teamwork can result in success and how we work in unison with the community and how we rely on each other.”
Article content
Statistics show Crime Stoppers’ success over the years, he added.
A total of 30,533 tips have been received since Crime Stoppers debuted in Chatham-Kent on April 13, 1987.
This has resulted in 7,681 arrests and recovery of a staggering $105 million in narcotics and $10.5 million in property, seizure of 340 illegal weapons and clearing of 11,436 cases.
“January is a wonderful opportunity to bring awareness to the Chatham-Kent Crime Stoppers program,” McIntosh said. “Our program is aimed at empowering community members to report suspicious or criminal activity anonymously.”
Crime Stoppers also has teamed with Pet and Wildlife Rescue in Chatham to create a calendar featuring animals housed in the animal shelter with proceeds going to the tipster organization.
“Right now, there are numerous animals that need to be adopted so we came up with the idea of ’Chatham-Kent’s Most Eligible Pets,’” McIntosh said.
The calendar aims to get people into PAWR to give these animals a great home.
The $20 calendars are available from ckcrimestoppers.ca or at local businesses, including Oil Gard, PAW, Pet Smart, Egan Animal Hospital, The Berry Patch, Mahalo Liquidation, Crow City Café, Turns & Tales and RAD Studio.
Share this article in your social network