Windsor Police pause Crime Stoppers participation after tip-platform breach
Windsor Police have paused their Crime Stoppers participation after a breach at a third-party tip platform that WPS says exposed 1.5M+ tips across Canada. Police tips: 519-258-6111 or windsorpolice.ca. Emergencies: 911. News tips: windsornewsdesk@gmail.com
Topics: Public safety
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Windsor Police have temporarily paused their participation in the Crime Stoppers program after a cybersecurity breach involving a third-party platform the non-profit uses to receive and manage anonymous tips.
What happened
In a news release on Oct. 22, Windsor Police said the incident involved the disclosure of more than 1.5 million tips submitted through the third-party platform across Canada. WPS said the breach did not affect its own internal information systems.
The pause is a precaution to protect confidential information while Crime Stoppers reviews the breach and puts in additional security measures, the release says.
"We recognize the important role Crime Stoppers has played in supporting public safety and police investigations over the years, and we acknowledge the seriousness with which the organization is addressing this matter," said Karel DeGraaf, Deputy Chief of Operational Support. "Ensuring the safety of our community and maintaining public trust remain our highest priorities. We will reassess our partnership with Crime Stoppers once appropriate safeguards and security measures have been implemented."
Windsor isn't alone. The Toronto Police Service said on Oct. 21 that it has temporarily suspended its use of Crime Stoppers while it reviews the new information and the added safeguards. Toronto Police noted that reporting directly to police does not provide the anonymity associated with Crime Stoppers.
What it means for you
Windsor Police are asking people with information about a crime or public safety concern to contact the service directly:
Online, non-emergency:
By phone, non-emergency: 519-258-6111
Emergencies: 911
Windsor News also takes news tips at windsornewsdesk@gmail.com. We protect our sources, but we're a newsroom, not police. For crimes in progress or emergencies, call 911.
