But the executive director of Crime Stoppers Niagara can't discuss that — or any other tip the organization received that successfully led police to thousands of arrests.
Doing so, he said during Tuesday's Welland city council meeting, would compromise one of the underlying principles the organization was founded on — anonymity.
If Black could talk about the dangerous offenders the program has helped police take off the streets, he hopes the communities would be more supportive of the work the independent volunteer-run organization does.
He's been visiting municipal councils across Niagara, asking for help dispelling myths about Crime Stoppers so more people "use a very valuable resource — one that's been working well, but one that could work a whole lot better."
Black said 75 to 77% of people think Crime Stoppers is run by police departments and receive federal government funding.
"They don't understand that we're volunteers."
People are also concerned that police will be knocking on their doors, or they'll be hauled in to court to testify, "or some harm could happen to their family."
He wants to reassure people that Crime Stopper's promise of anonymity "is for real and this really works."
A few years ago, he said lawyers tried to overturn the anonymity offered by Crime Stoppers, and took the case all the way to the Supreme Court. The court, however, ruled on the side of Crime Stoppers.
"We will never reveal a source," he added.
In most cases, Crime Stoppers doesn't know who's providing the tip. Callers to the service don't have to give their names, and their phones are not equipped with call display.In 2009, he said Crime Stoppers Niagara had 1,000 tips, and 1,500 tips were passed on to police last year.
"The success rate is actually very impressive," Black said.
Not being able to share success stories has made it a little more difficult for Crime Stoppers to raise money to finance the cash rewards of up to $2,000 it offers in exchange for successful tips.
Often, however, he said people who earn the rewards are so happy to have the crime they've reported resolved that they don't even accept the cash.
abenner@wellandtribune.ca
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