It was 40 years ago that Mayor Scoop Lewry’s drive to beat Regina morphed into an integral tool we use to this day to help solve crimes.
When Crime Stoppers was introduced in Saskatchewan, Lewry was determined to get the program before our Queen City rivals. Moose Jaw created its program in 1984, one day before Regina, making it the oldest program in the province.
“He wanted to make sure that we got all the glory,” laughed current Moose Jaw Crime Stoppers chair Lyle Johnson.
The Crime Stoppers program originated in New Mexico in the 1970s. A policeman working on an unsolved case approached a local TV station to air a re-enactment of the crime. He found more people who viewed the segment were more willing to come forward if they could give tips anonymously so they didn’t have to get involved or testify in court.
The program eventually made its way to other countries including Canada, and in turn Saskatchewan.
Johnson explained that Crime Stoppers is made up of three components: the police, the media, and the community at large. The police will put forward an unsolved crime, it will be made public through the media and it relies on the public to give tips.
He said a great example is the Warrant Wednesday program that started in Moose Jaw a couple of years ago.
"It's been very successful. I would say over 80 per cent of the crimes that were highlighted have been solved within a day of being put on Warrant Wednesday,” Johnson said.
Additionally, Johnson said those who are eligible for cash rewards because giving a tip wasn’t about the money, but catching the suspect and getting criminals off the streets.
The program has also had great community support. Crime Stoppers runs completely on donations and community clubs like ACT/UCT, Early Bird Lions and the Kinsmen Club donate annually towards the cause.
The Moose Jaw Crime Stoppers board itself is made up entirely of volunteers. Johnson noted they had two board vacancies earlier this year and had 15 people applied for the positions. Many of those who applied had been involved with Crime Stoppers as a police liaison or past board members.
As of 2023, Moose Jaw Crime Stoppers have received 4,563 tips since its inception, leading to 511 arrests. They have handed out $56,865 in reward money and recovered $838,233 in drugs and stolen property.
Anyone with tips can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, online at p3tips.com or by using the P3 Tips app.