Crime Stoppers gets new wheels
Maria Canton
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Feb 07/01) - From minivan to PT Cruiser, Crime Stoppers has come a long way.
The community-based program that rewards anonymous tipsters for calling in with information that helps police fight crime has a new vehicle to call its own, with thanks to a local dealership and the Elk's Club.
"We had this (car) in mind right from the start, it's unique looking and it has a high profile," said Bob Aaltonen, owner of Yellowknife Chrysler, which donated the car to Crime Stoppers last week.
After 12 years of having Crime Stoppers in the North, Sgt. Phil Johnson said it's nice to have an image change for the organization.
"This vehicle is an automatic drawing card," Johnson said of the navy blue 2000 Chrysler PT Cruiser.
"Really it's a transformation of image for Crime Stoppers ... because this vehicle is unique looking, that alone may increase the use of the program."
Johnson said Crime Stoppers, which represents both the NWT and Nunavut, receives about 200 tips a year. About 15 per cent of those tips result in immediate action and success.
The rest have "long-term" value and aid police in ongoing investigations.
"Operation Guiness would be a perfect example of how (Crime Stoppers) received tips that helped in a long-term investigation," said Johnson.
"Over a long period of time we compiled tips we received from Crime Stoppers until we could bring them all together in a successful operation."
The vehicle will be used mainly by community police officers, who make their rounds through the schools and the community raising awareness.
