Statement from Crime Stoppers SA

Posted on 19/08/2016

For more than 20 years, Crime Stoppers SA, as an independent, not-for-profit program, has placed the highest importance on its ability to act as a secure and safe conduit of information between the South Australian public and police.

However, Crime Stoppers SA is concerned by a number of inaccurate media reports and a number of representations made to the Coroner in recent days that have suggested a failing of the Crime Stoppers process and raised questions about the program’s value.

Crime Stoppers wishes to reassure the public on a number of critical points.

One of the fundamental strengths of Crime Stoppers is the fact that it offers an opportunity for someone to share information about criminals or suspected criminal activity with a guarantee of anonymity. We know that some people who make contact often do so at their own peril, and may have laboured long and hard in weighing up their personal safety and the desire to do the right thing by sharing information that will bring criminals to justice.

It is our view that when someone chooses to share information, anonymously or otherwise, that information should be assessed on its respective merit. On those occasions when someone chooses to confidentially leave their details, every endeavour is taken to preserve their identity – and this is a commitment that Crime Stoppers will continue to honour.

Crime Stoppers SA is extremely disappointed at inaccurate criticisms and media reporting that have suggested the program has in some way failed – this is simply not the case. Each and every call and report submitted to Crime Stoppers is recorded and subsequently provided to police, and it is the responsibility of police to then act on this information as deemed appropriate.

As such, we wish to strongly reassure the community that the Crime Stoppers program has, at no time, faltered in its commitment to pass information it receives from the community to police.

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