The St. Thomas Police Service is temporarily pausing its participation in the St. Thomas-Elgin Crime Stoppers program following a cybersecurity breach involving a third-party platform.
In a media release shared Friday, police say the breach involved Navigate360’s P3 platform, which Crime Stoppers uses to receive and manage anonymous tips.
Effective immediately, members of the public are being asked to report crimes and share public safety information directly with the St. Thomas Police Service while the incident is assessed.
Police say the platform operates independently of their internal information systems. The service is working to verify the breach’s impact on St. Thomas-Elgin Crime Stoppers, including any potential risks to individuals, confidential information and police investigations.
Chief Marc Roskamp says the decision is a precautionary measure as the service works to verify the situation and determine what safeguards are needed before resuming its participation.
“Crime Stoppers and its volunteers have made valuable contributions to the St. Thomas community for decades, strengthening public safety through a longstanding partnership and valuable support for police investigations,” said Roskamp. “The safety of people who provide information, the protection of confidential information and public trust must guide our response. We will reassess our participation once we have the verified findings and security assurances needed to make an informed decision.”
In the meantime, anyone with information about a crime or public safety concern in St. Thomas is encouraged to call police directly at 519-631-1224.
Eligible non-emergency incidents can also be reported online through the St. Thomas Police Service website.
Anyone needing immediate assistance should call 911.
