Crime Stoppers District of Cochrane celebrates Crime Stoppers Month with new website

January is Crime Stoppers Month, and in the Timmins area, the group is undergoing a major revitalization.

Cochrane District Crime Stoppers officials are reminding the public to call in or email anonymous tips about any crime in the city.

“If I could send a message out there to everyone in Timmins and our surrounding areas, it would be for us to work together, be positive, help each other,” said Troy Robin, chair of Crime Stoppers District of Cochrane.

“I think that’s the narrative we need to change. It’s easy to get upset, but … it’s harder to be positive about a negative situation.”

Since the mid-1980s, Crime Stoppers has been a tool local police agencies and the Ministry of Natural Resources have used to help solve a variety of crimes, including drug trafficking.

Nearly $7 million has been seized and $2.4 million in stolen goods recovered.

“It allows us to gain information anonymously,” said Det. Const. Tara Laroche.

“It helps us gather information to solve crimes that are usually underreported, such as domestic violence or intimate partner violence, human trafficking, drug trafficking, property crimes, organized crimes and any other type of crime.”

Since its inception, Cochrane District Crime Stoppers has received more than 17,000 tips and has approved more than $251,000 in cash rewards.

Uptick in reporting

“We’ve seen an uptick in reporting over the last little while, and I think it has a lot to do with what we’re seeing in the community and how important it is for people to have a safe community,” said Robin.

To submit information anonymously, tipsters can either call the toll-free number, visit the new Cochrane District Crime Stoppers website or submit the tip through the Timmins Police website.

“It allows people that wouldn’t normally speak up, finally be able to speak up and maybe make a difference,” said Laroche.

“You know, a lot of people fear reprisal. They feel like if they do speak up or they do report their neighbour or somebody that they know is doing something wrong, that it’s going to come back to haunt them or they’re going to be harmed in a certain way because Timmins is a small community.”

Crime Stoppers is a not-for-profit group. It raises money to pay out rewards of up to $2,000.

Its next big event is a comedy show on Saturday, featuring Rick Lemieux, a former police officer.