THE PROVINCIAL head of Crime Stoppers made a stop here as part of his tour around the province to visit the 29 community-based programs.
Tim Kelley, executive director of BC Crime Stoppers, met with local president Ian Nankervis, vice-president Barb Petric-Raposo and Terrace RCMP community relations Const. Angela Rabut.
He was also looking to review the operations of the local chapter and find out its needs so it can better carry out its duties.
Local Crime Stoppers president Ian Nankervis says Kelley came to check on how they’re running the programs to make sure the branch is complying with the rules and regulations set out, to explain his job and give his advice on advertising and other matters.
And he asked Kelley questions and challenged him.
“He suggested texting is not big but we disagree,” said Nankervis, adding that the local Crime Stoppers is developing a website.
Young people are more likely to send a text rather than fill out an online form, he said.
Crime Stoppers began in 1976 in Albuquerque, New Mexico by a Canadian-born detective, who was investigating a gas station robbery cold case, said Kelley.
“He asked the TV [station] to re-create the crime and the bottom line is it triggered someone’s memory and cracked the case,” said Kelley.
The big thing was that the tips were anonymous and tipsters did not have to testify in court, which helped bring in people who didn’t want to talk to the police, he said.
“We don’t want your name, we just want your information,” said Kelley.
When Crime Stoppers began, it was an individual community-based program, each of which had its own phone number and was run separately from the other branches.
Now, there’s a Canada-wide phone number and Crime Stoppers has the capability to take tips online and by text message and by social network pages with tips being encrypted and anonymous.
And there are local programs throughout Canada and 1,800 programs in 24 countries, he said.
Crime Stoppers pays up to $2,000 for an arrest or charges laid and is always looking for new members.