Regina Crime Stoppers celebrates 40th anniversary

When Regina Crime Stoppers began in 1984 it had one goal — prevent and solve crime in the city of Regina.

Over the last 40 years, it has worked tirelessly toward that goal.

Kevin Bassendowski, President of Regina Crime Stoppers, said the non-profit organization is a key piece in the puzzle to stop crime.

“We are the anonymous outlet for that person to help Regina Police Service (RPS) solve a crime, or give the information about the solvable crime,” he said. “So we just fill in that small puzzle piece in some of the cases.”

Crime Stoppers runs a 1-800 number, website and an app where people can leave anonymous tips about a crime.

“(That way) people can sort of meet Crime Stoppers the way they want,” he said.

The organization takes the anonymity aspect very seriously.

“In fact, if you jeopardize your anonymity, we’ll reject you from the Crime Stoppers, and you’ll have to go direct,” Bassendowski said.

READ MORE:

• Crime Stoppers’ 2023 stats show big drop in property, drug seizures
• Sask. RCMP looking for Buffalo Narrows man charged with drug trafficking
• Police search for inmate who failed to return to Yorkton correctional centre

Crime Stoppers gives the tip to RPS who follow up and investigate. The tip is assigned a number and if it results in an apprehension or conviction, the tip giver will receive a monetary reward of up to $2,000.

Technology has changed a lot in the last 40 years, which has helped improve a handful of operations at Crime Stoppers. One of those improvements is how tip givers are paid out.

“Back in the day, it used to be drops late at night,” he said. “You know, go to the pizza box on 13th and Albert, and there’ll be money in there.”

Bassendowski said pizza box payments were long before his time. Now tips can be picked up from a chartered bank with the number assigned to your tip.

“For the anonymity and security of everybody it’s much nicer if people can just go into a bank with a number, no questions asked, walk out with cash, and we don’t have to do drops in the middle of the night,” he said.

To celebrate the milestone, Regina Crime Stoppers held a free BBQ for community members at RPS HQ.

Crime Stoppers’ 40th-anniversary celebration included a free BBQ for community members at the Regina Police Service HQ. (Nicole Garn/980 CJME)

Bassendowski said the turnout exceeded his expectations.

He’s proud to see how far Regina Crime Stoppers has come and all the closure it has provided the community.

“Forty years is a long time when you look back at all the success,” he said. “We’re really proud that we helped close 4,200 cases. That’s a lot of closure for a lot of victims. That’s a lot of closure for a lot of families.”

Since its inception, Regina Crime Stoppers has received 26,177 tips which led to 2,329 arrests and 4,216 cases cleared. Over $12.2 million dollars in drugs and stolen property have also been seized and recovered.

READ MORE:

• Crime Stoppers’ 2023 stats show big drop in property, drug seizures
• Sask. RCMP looking for Buffalo Narrows man charged with drug trafficking
• Police search for inmate who failed to return to Yorkton correctional centre