Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington (CSGW) was once again on the international stage, winning four Crime Stoppers International (CSI) Awards including one for its Program Coordinator.
CSI Awards, announced from Sept. 30 to Oct. 6 from Sydney, Australia, were given to CSGW for Best Radio, Specialized Training, and Productivity Award for Recovered Property – all in the “Up to 300,000” population category. The radio submission was in partnership with Magic Radio 106.1 FM out of Guelph. The Specialized Training award is in reference to Educate Parents And Children Together (EPACT) for increasing awareness of Human Trafficking, Cyber Safety, Child Luring and Crime Stoppers. The Productivity Award acknowledges the outstanding effectiveness of CSGW Tips, aiding investigators in recovering more than $76,000 in drugs, personal property and cash in 2019.
The final accolade was the Paul D. Boudreau Coordinator of the Year Award for CSGW Program Coordinator Sarah Bowers-Peter.
“The (Paul D. Boudreau Coordinator of the Year Award) recognizes outstanding performance and commitment by a Crime Stoppers coordinator who has personified the spirit of community cooperation and demonstrated leadership qualities, such as dedication, initiative, responsibility, reliability, persistence and integrity,” said Sharon Hanlon, President of CSI, speaking from her office in Australia in a video shared on CSI Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts. “Sarah’s dedication to Crime Stoppers extends to serving on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers, and she is also the Chair of Communications for the national body, the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association.”
Hanlon also highlighted Bowers-Peter’s involvement with other community organizations such as Safe Communities Wellington County, Guelph Wellington Action Committee (Guelph Wellington Women In Crisis) and more recently, the Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy, stating this demonstrated community investment beyond Crime Stoppers.
“On behalf of the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association I would like to congratulate Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington on receiving your recent Crime Stoppers International Awards in the areas of Productivity, Specialised Training and Radio,” said CCSA President and OACS Past President Dave Forster. “The exemplary work of your Board, Coordinators and community partners has brought recognition to your community, to Ontario and to all Canadians and we congratulate you on these accomplishments. Keep up the great work.”
Forster added, “I would also like to congratulate Sarah Bowers-Peter of Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington for being selected as the Crime Stoppers International Coordinator of the Year. To be recognized internationally by your peers for the contributions that you make to Crime Stoppers is truly an honor and there is no one more deserving than Sarah who provides leadership, dedication and commitment to Crime Stoppers within her community, provincially and across Canada. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition.”
CSGW Chair Deryck West, echoed these sentiments.
“I speak on behalf of the Board of Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington when I say there couldn’t be a more deserving award winner,” said West, “Sarah is a driving force behind of our program, and any success we have is a testament to her efforts. We thank Sarah for all that she does.”
“It’s exciting to work at what you enjoy,” said Bowers-Peter “especially when you feel your work can help make your community better. But to be recognized for that work; well that’s amazing, and in this case, unexpected. Thank you to the CSI judges for this honor, and to all the coordinators across Ontario, Canada and the world who work so hard to make their local programs better and their communities safer.”
Bowers-Peter has been the Program Coordinator for CSGW since 2014 and was named the to Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers Coordinator Achievement Award for 2018. She is a member of the OACS Board of Directors, helming the Technology & Communication Committee and has been named the Chair for the CCSA Communications Committee.
Traditionally the CSI Conference is held in locales such as Singapore, and The Netherlands. In 2020, the conference was cancelled due to Covid-19, but the awards presentations were moved to an online delivery, allowing programs from around the world to view the results and share in their successes.
