“First of all, we’re not the police”
In an attempt to increase awareness of their program amongst students, Crime Stoppers has partnered with the Campus Community Police to boost their presence on campus.
The Ontarion sat down with Crime Stoppers program coordinator Sarah Bowers-Peter to talk about the organization’s goals and their hopes for strong student participation in the future.
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According to Bowers-Peter, Crime Stoppers has begun installing signs, with the blessing of the University, to promote their program. She also explained that they are active on social media, and even hosted a “chuck-a-chicken” O-Week event this year. “We would love to do more stuff like that,” she said, adding that they are giving a presentation in conjunction with family housing this Tuesday.
Bowers-Peter shared her belief that Crime Stoppers and the U of G community have a common goal: campus safety. “I think most people, especially when you’re investing in your future the way students here are, they definitely want to have that kind of impact — not just in their academics and career, but also in their home and lifestyle as well,” she explained.
With that goal in mind, Crime Stoppers wants to take the opportunity to fill a void that exists on campus for this type of program. “I would love to see an on-campus Crime Stoppers club or organization in an active capacity,” Bowers-Peter said, adding that not only would that fill this void, it would also provide an opportunity for students interested in criminology or social justice to get some real-world experience.
While a club might be the ultimate goal, Bowers-Peter stressed that getting involved for now is as easy as sharing an anonymous tip.
Photo courtesy of Sarah Bowers-Peter.