Crime Stoppers is not the police. Crime Stoppers is not an agent of the police. A group of civilian volunteers form the Board of Directors and are responsible for all the decision-making and fundraising in order to promote awareness about the program. Most importantly, the funds pay our Tipsters for their valuable information. Fundraising is the main source of funding for Crime Stoppers Guelph Wellington (CSGW), along with public and corporate donations.
Our program also has two civilian coordinators, an Office Coordinator and a Program Coordinator, who act as liaisons to law enforcement agencies, the local media and the Board of Directors. These roles are compensated by Guelph Police Service and Wellington County OPP, which demonstrates their support and commitment to CSGW.
BEHIND THE PROGRAM
The CSGW Board of Directors are volunteers from all over the City of Guelph and County of Wellington with the common goal to reduce and resolve crime.
- DAVID ELLOWAY, CHAIR – ELORA
- LOWELL BUTTS, VICE CHAIR – FERGUS
- SONIA RATTAN, TREASURER – GUELPH
- DERYCK WEST, PAST CHAIR – MOUNT FOREST
- JOHN SVENSSON, DIRECTOR – PUSLINCH
- ALEJANDRA HERRERA, DIRECTOR – GUELPH
- JOHN CLARK, DIRECTOR – GUELPH
- CHRIS FRARESSO, DIRECTOR – GUELPH
- LAVENDER NGUYEN – GUELPH
- MARK ABBOTT – PUSLINCH
BECOME A BOARD MEMBER
As a community-based Board of Directors, volunteers are welcome to apply for positions and take an active role in crime resolution. If interested, download the CSGW Board Member Application
MISSION STATEMENT
Incorporated in 1988, CSGW is a non-profit charitable organization which combines the best efforts of the media, the community and the police in the fight against crime. With $39,735,249 million in recovered property and narcotics off the streets, 2,325 cases cleared and 4,623 charges laid, the numbers speak for themselves… Crime Stoppers works!
Our goal is to promote awareness within the community and continue to educate our students and the public in making our community safer.
OUR HISTORY
The Crime Stoppers concept is a force for good, that came out of a tragedy.
In 1976 Canadian-born Detective Greg MacAleese was assigned to investigate a robbery gone afoul that resulted in the murder of a young college student, working part-time at a gas station in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Frustrated by the lack of solid leads in the investigation, MacAleese saw two things preventing people in the community from sharing information about the crime: a valid fear of reprisal, and wide-spread public apathy. This crime occurred at dusk in a well-travelled neighbourhood. MacAleese knew someone other than the killers had knowledge that could solve the case.
With this in mind, he contacted the local television station and with their help broadcast a live re-enactment of the crime. To overcome public apathy he offered a cash reward from his own pocket. To prevent reprisals, he set up an anonymous phone line. Within a week, the case was solved.
The idea of the community, the media and the police working together to solve a crime like this spread rapidly. Today there are more than 1,700 programs worldwide. There are 37 programs in Ontario, which are linked by the national toll-free Crime Stoppers phone number – 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
