COPS USE WEBSITE TO CATCH CRIMINALS

WANTED: Public Can Assist In Apprehensions, And Get Paid, By Leaving
Tips Online

The Vancouver Police Department has developed a new Internet program
to help reduce the high number of people wanted for outstanding warrants.

With more than 20,000 people on the books with outstanding warrants,
Vancouver police Const. Howard Chow said the new web pages are one
more way to get public help in catching suspected criminals.

"We have over 20,000 people in our system," said Chow.

"That is 20,000 outstanding warrants clogging up the
system."

And, he said, finding those people often is hard without outside
help.

"We know the criminals wanted on warrants are transient people," he
said.

"This is how we're trying to elicit help from the public."

Chow said the concept, now being run in conjunction with CrimeStoppers
of Greater Vancouver, has been in the works for a number of months.

"We wanted to develop a web page that was snazzy looking," he
said.

He also said that asking for the public's help has already brought
results. The new web pages were up and running Thursday, the media
launch was Friday, and "three people have been apprehended," Chow said.

Vancouver police Sgt. Guy Draper said the website also allows people
to leave a tip.

"You can call us anonymously or give a web tip without speaking to
anyone," said Draper.

Rewards are paid after a tip leads to an arrest or conviction. The
amount depends on the severity of the crime, with a tip on a bank
robber likely paying about $2,000.

The link to the list can be found by going to www.vpd.ca, then
clicking on the "Wanted" icon.

Besides a person's picture, the website gives a date of birth, last
known address and crime committed.

The posting of that information has drawn criticism.

Handing out personal information should be a concern,
said

B.C. Civil Liberties Association President Jason Gratl, who noted that
many of those listed on the VPD website are people who allegedly
committed petty crimes.

"Many of these people haven't been convicted of a crime and are being
sought for the alleged commission of petty offences," he said.

Listing addresses and birthdates, Gratl said, "is the type of private
information that should not be released by police. It's personal
information.

"Police have access to databases the public doesn't."