HERE'S A TIP: SUPPORT CRIME STOPPERS

Editorial - The message is getting out, according to Kawartha-Haliburton
Crime Stoppers' coordinator Cst. Robin Shilz. She is referring to the huge
jump in the number of tips to the organization, resulting in more arrests
and convictions for a myriad of criminal activity in our region.

The number of tips last year totaled 236, up from 38 in 2001. That led to
24 arrests, up from eight the previous year. And the number of cases that
have been cleared thanks to tipsters was 81 last year, up from ten in 2001.

"This tells me something is working, and the public is paying attention to
our message," Cst. Shilz says. "And what we're getting from our tipsters is
good information."

Tipsters are calling Crime Stoppers about incidents ranging from odd
behaviours to outright criminal activity. This information is proving to be
extremely valuable to the City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service in their
criminal investigations, and ultimately, in arrests and convictions.

"I think people are just getting sick and tired of seeing what's going on,
and they're picking up the phone," Cst. Shilz says.

Crime Stoppers' most successful statistic is in the value of drugs that
were seized in 2002 - $6.873 million. That's up from $141,000 the previous
year.

"About half of that - $3.3 million - was from one bust of a Haliburton
marijuana growing operation," she adds. "Most of the drugs seized is
marijuana."

You would think an organization that provides such a valued service to the
community would not be in dire need of volunteers to help in fundraising.
(Crime Stoppers paid out $2,550 to tipsters in 2002, and none of that money
comes from government funding.)

So kudos to Kawartha-Haliburton Crime Stoppers for their excellent work as
partners in fighting crime in our communities. Hopefully, they will get the
manpower and fundraising support they need to continue their work.