CRIME STOPPERS HITS THE $40-MILLION MARK

Winnipeg's Crime Stoppers has hit the $40-million mark in solving crime --
that's the dollar amount in recovered stolen property and seized drugs
since the popular tipster program started in 1984.

"It certainly points to how successful the program is," Winnipeg Crime
Stoppers chairman Gerry Pope said. "It's due to the people involved in the
program; the people who run it, the citizens of the city and the media."

Pope, a former Winnipeg police officer and now special investigative unit
supervisor at Manitoba Public Insurance, said Crime Stoppers has proved
invaluable at helping police solve crime -- from murder to arson to car theft.

In fact, more than 8,200 cases have been cleared because of the program and
its cash awards to anonymous tipsters. That includes 4,332 arrests and
1,473 arrests on warrants. The program has also helped solve 17 murders
since 1984. Pope said the $40 million in money recovered is from drug
seizures, recovery of stolen vehicles and nabbing fraud artists.

He said that figure was established by police agencies, who keep tabs of
recovered or seized goods when they make arrests.

Winnipeg Police Service Crime Stoppers coordinator Sgt. Clyde Raven said
the volunteer-run organization recently received recognition for having the
most stolen goods recovered in the category of cities with a population
between 600,000 and one million. In total, the program has got 22
international awards in the past 15 years.