“The Crime Stoppers Youth project is an important part of making our communities safer, specifically in high schools,” says Curtis Nikel, President of the Crime Stoppers Association of Edmonton and Northern Alberta. “Youth also see things that are dangerous or suspicious or illegal. We need to empower them to report these activities, and an anonymous tip service is the perfect way for them to get involved without having to be afraid.”
Over 2,800 students attend the two high schools located only six blocks apart, one of the highest concentrations of high-school-aged youth in the city. Constable Kendall Booth and Youth Liaison Katie Wallbaum from the Killarney Neighbourhood Empowerment Team (N.E.T.) developed the program to proactively engage these students in becoming co-producers of safety in their school communities.
“The pressure to fit in is extremely hard on youth, often leading to crimes going unreported,” says Katie Wallbaum. “Crime Stoppers Youth is focused on giving youth an anonymous way to report crime in a medium that makes sense to them. We want to eliminate the stigma of being a ‘rat’ and empower students to speak out about issues affecting them in their schools."
Violence, drug possession or dealing, theft (such as phones stolen from cars and lockers), possession of stolen property, weapons, vandalism, sexual assault and bullying are some of the crimes that may be reported to the tip line. Crime Stoppers will reward a minimum of $50 for tips resulting in successful investigations.
“This program will be very beneficial to the schools and community in the Killarney neighborhood,” says Derek Onysko, EPS School Resource Officer for Queen Elizabeth High School. “Any extra resources the police and school administration have that may assist with investigations are always a bonus.”