Kiwis no longer happy being bystanders of crime

Since it launched in New Zealand 4 years ago, Crimestoppers New Zealand has taken 50,000 calls from Kiwis who no longer want to be bystanders of crime. Statistics of reported crime since Crimestoppers launched show a reduction of over 15%.

Crimestoppers is proud to have been able to make a modest contribution to this reduction in reported crime and to have raised awareness for all New Zealanders that they can provide information about criminal activity (drugs, abuse of women and children, road crime, property crime and anti social behaviour) without fear of retribution – or the need to be in the witness box.

As information received by Crimestoppers is passed to Police without any caller or phone number details, the caller’s anonimity is guaranteed.
The information is then carefully assessed by Police intelligence analysts who recommend appropriate courses of action by frontline Police staff.

Police Commissioner, Peter Marshall, said “Crimestoppers has become a vital channel of information for Police. It is most unlikely that Police would have received any of that information without Crimestoppers support and New Zealanders are less likely to be victims when information about criminal behaviour is provided quickly. Crimestoppers is making a real contribution to both the crime prevention and reduced victims, goals of Police”.

Woman and children will continue to be victims of unreported violence unless someone stands up, even anonymously, to provide information to help stop the violence. This information allows Police and other agencies to check on the situation, find out what is behind the behaviour and influence some change.

Disqualified and unlicenced drivers cause disproportionate levels of road trauma and serious injury. Families and friends know who these people are and can help us all to be safer by providing information anonymously and without fear of being identified or of subsequent retribution.

“People need to ask themselves, not what will happen if I ring, but what will happen if I don't. Every New Zealander should be empowered to ‘do the right thing’ without fear of retribution. Crimestoppers encourages all New Zealanders to contribute to making our communities safer” said John Perham, Crimestoppers Chairman.

ENDS

© Scoop Media