Crime Stoppers is a community, media and police co-operative program designed to involve the public in the fight against crime. Crime Stoppers provides citizens with a vehicle to anonymously supply the police with information about a crime or potential crime. A reward of up to $2000 is offered to anyone providing information, which leads to an arrest, or the recovery of stolen property or the seizure of illegal drugs.

THE CRIME STOPPERS PROMISE OF ANONYMITY: WHAT TIPSTERS NEED TO KNOW By providing information that Crime Stoppers will share with law enforcement agencies, you are providing an important and valuable public service.  We understand that disclosure of your identity might put you at risk.  We do everything we can to protect your anonymity.  However, that anonymity may be open to challenge in the following situations:

• A call to Crime Stoppers made with the intention of “furthering criminal activity or interfering with the administration of justice”.  A party who is guilty of a crime cannot use Crime Stoppers to try to divert the blame onto someone else.  Crime Stoppers cannot be used to try to “frame” an innocent person.
• There is evidence that disclosure of some or all of a tip is necessary to establish someone’s innocence.
• A tipster having received the benefit of full legal advice may, for his or her own reasons, elect to waive the privilege.

For a fuller explanation of these principles, help us to help you by reading and understanding the “Tipster Information” on the Canadian Crime Stoppers website.

Crime Stoppers was started in Albuquerque, New Mexico when Canadian-born Albuquerque Police Department Detective Greg MacAleese reached a dead-end in a homicide investigation.  He enlisted a local television station’s co-operation in producing a re-enactment of the crime, provided the public with an anonymous phone line to use and offered a cash reward…and within 72 hours the police received a tip that helped solve the murder. This was the beginning of Crime Stoppers. The first Crime Stoppers Program in Canada was formed in Calgary in 1982. Since its inception, Calgary Crime Stoppers has helped to clear over 14,300 criminal cases, recover over $18.4 Million in stolen property and seize more than $296 Million in illegal drugs (as of March 2019)

A volunteer Board of Directors administers and oversees the program.  They work in close cooperation with local law enforcement, the media and the community. Calgary Crime Stoppers is a registered not-for-profit organization and is responsible for raising funds, public awareness and the disbursements of rewards.  Funding and services come from citizens, corporations, clubs, and professional associations, which keeps the Crime Stoppers program operational.

The Crime Stoppers tip line, 1-800-222-8477, is staffed by trained personnel (24/7) who receive, process and pass on tip information to the appropriate law enforcement agency to investigate. Callers are given a tip number, which is used in all subsequent calls, and are never asked to identify themselves or provide any personal information. Caller ID is not used and the calls are not recorded. It is the caller’s responsibility to call back for updates and instructions on how to claim a reward.

Persons wanting to provide information on crimes or criminals can also use the Internet, without giving up their anonymity. Logging onto the Calgary Crime Stoppers website (www.calgarycrimestoppers.org) allows tipsters to simply click and fill in an electronic form with their information. Web Tips are also completely anonymous.

You will be asked to call back to Crime Stoppers for updates on your tip. Tips that lead to an arrest, the recovery of stolen property or the seizure of illegal drugs may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.00. Directions on how to collect your reward will be provided by Crime Stoppers and will be paid in such a way as to protect your anonymity.