Written by Ryan Klatt, second-year Protection, Security and Investigation student at Loyalist College and president of the Loyalist Campus Crime Stoppers club
This fall, Loyalist Campus Crime Stoppers became an officially recognized student-led club at Loyalist College, after receiving approval and support from Quinte Crime Stoppers. The group’s objective is to build student, staff and community awareness of Quinte Crime Stoppers as an effective law enforcement program.
Quinte Crime Stoppers enables anyone in the Quinte area to report any crime through an anonymous tip line. The tip is then forwarded to the appropriate police department, which investigates the matter without requiring the victim to provide statements or interviews. To help combat crime in the area, Crime Stoppers encourages the community to call in information about any criminal offence, including bullying and intimidation.
The Loyalist Campus Crime Stoppers club is just one of Loyalist’s many extracurricular activities, which fall into four broad categories: academic development, global issues, diversity, and wellness. According to Director of Student Success Services Cathy O’Rourke, students’ educational experiences are enriched through participation in this type of group, where they are encouraged to become community stewards.
For students in the Protection, Security and Investigation program, Loyalist Campus Crime Stoppers has provided valuable industry-related experiences outside the classroom. Student interest has been overwhelmingly positive, and there are now 16 volunteer members.
The idea of creating the club came from a research project assigned in the first year of the Police Foundations program. After gaining support from faculty and Student Government, the club was presented to the Police Coordinator for Quinte Crime Stoppers, Constable Rene Aubertin. Along with Chairman of the Quinte Crime Stoppers Board, Garnet Goodwin, plans were discussed and finalized for Campus Crime Stoppers.
“Part of the Crime Stoppers program is getting the name out into the community so that people are aware of what the program is and how they can access it,” says Garnet. “The younger generation is our community’s future. Ryan’s commitment to the program ensures that Crime Stoppers will be in good hands.”
Some of the services promoted through the Loyalist Campus Crime Stoppers are the tip-line, promised anonymity and potential cash rewards as a result of tips that lead to an arrest. As of December 2011, Quinte Crime Stoppers had made 1,585 arrests and recovered more than $43,000,000 since its inception.
In the future, the club will develop advertisements and displays that describe the Crime Stoppers system and how it works. A presentation team will speak directly with students in a classroom setting, helping to promote the positive, campus environment. The group will also organize fundraisers and special activities to build awareness.
Some members of the club are also involved with a student-led program at the College called Walk Safe, which arranges for co-ed pairs of volunteers to accompany students and staff to and from any campus location on Thursday evenings.
For more information about this extracurricular group and others, please visit the Loyalist Student Government website at http://www.loyaliststudents.com/clubs.
If you have any information on any crime occurring in the Quinte area please call Quinte Crime Stoppers at 613-969-8477 or 1-800-222-TIPS.