Campbell River has the best Crime Stoppers program in B.C., according to annual statistics released last week.
Pat Patterson, co-ordinator of Campbell River Crime Stoppers, said year end statistics for each Crime Stoppers program show that “the most effective Crime Stoppers program in British Columbia is here in Campbell River.”
Patterson, during a presentation to council at its Monday night meeting, said Campbell River led the province in arrests made, cases cleared, and charges laid due to tips received.
Arrests mades on tips was 19.4 per cent, while cases cleared on tips received was 34 per cent and charges laid due to tips was 28 per cent – all of which were the highest in B.C.
Patterson also threw some other impressive numbers out at council.
“Campbell River is less than one per cent of the population in B.C. but we generated over three per cent of the tips, resulting in 16.5 per cent of the arrests, 20.4 per cent of the charges laid and 28.7 per cent of the cases cleared right across B.C.,” Patterson said.
“It’s not only a great program, but a great (Crime Stoppers) board. The city has supported Crime Stoppers, and the RCMP – I can’t speak highly enough about the motivated members here.”
Crime Stoppers President Rob Harris said Patterson himself also deserves a bulk of the credit and said his passion and experience as a former police officer are invaluable to the organization.
Harris and Patterson also reiterated to city council what they said to the Strathcona Regional District last month – that 2014 was the most successful year in the program’s 25 year history.
Patterson said numbers were up across the board:
- 61,258 more views on the Crime Stoppers Facebook page (+ 25 per cent)
- 66 more calls taken by Campbell River Crime Stoppers (+25 per cent)
- 66 more tips received (+25 per cent)
- 35 more arrests made (+125 per cent)
- 58 more cases cleared (+132 per cent)
Patterson said as great as those numbers are, he’s hoping for even more next year.
“I’d like to sit here again next year and say 2015 was our best year,” Patterson said. “We’ve done very, very well.”