About Us

Crime Stoppers is a community based program that brings local citizens, the media and the police together in partnership to solve crime. This is accomplished by offering cash rewards and guaranteeing anonymity to persons who furnish information leading to the arrest of or laying of charges against criminal offenders.

Crime Stoppers began on Sept. 8th 1976 in Albuquerque New Mexico, following the senseless murder of a young university student. After 6 weeks of investigation without success, a local Canadian born detective named Greg MacAleese appealed to the public for information. Greg and a local TV station made a re-enactment of the murder and asked for anyone with information to call him.

Greg guaranteed anonymity and offered a cash reward. Within 3 hours of the broadcast the detective received his first call with information. Within 72 hours two individuals were arrested and the case was cleared!

Chatham Kent Crime Stoppers began on April 13th 1987. It is a joint effort between the public, the media and the police . Chatham-Kent Crime Stoppers was originally established by our first co-ordinator Cst Dennis Poole of the Chatham Police Service. He recruited the first board of directors from the communities of Kent County and promoted the program through the media.

Early in the program the Ontario Provincial Police became involved and D/Cst Paul Japp was assigned to the program. In the past, officers from both services have been seconded to the program. On occasion the Royal Canadian Mounted Police acted in a back-up capacity for the co-ordinators. The present coordinator is Erica McIntosh.