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Toronto Police Service and Toronto Crime Stoppers Announce Launch of Illegal Firearm Awareness Campaign to Mark Crime Stoppers Month

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Toronto Police Service Deputy Chief Robert Johnson was joined by Toronto Crime Stoppers Chair Sean Sportun and Toronto Police Service Board Chair Ann Morgan at Toronto Police Headquarters this morning to recognize Crime Stoppers Month and announce the launch of an Illegal Firearm Awareness Campaign.  

The news conference was live streamed on YouTube.

“This campaign is a significant re-iteration of this foundational concept - the pivotal role the public plays in safeguarding community safety in Toronto through the provision of tips,” said Toronto Police Service Board Chair Ann Morgan. “Your call or tip will result in more money for you, but, more importantly, it will mean another dangerous firearm off the streets, and enhanced safety for our neighbourhoods.”

The Illegal Firearm Awareness Campaign features enhanced cash rewards of up to $300 for tips leading to the seizure of illegal firearms. The goal of the campaign is to amplify the voices of the community by deterring criminal acts through continued awareness and education on how to anonymously report information about illegal firearms and other forms of criminal behaviour.

“The increase in gun crime in our city over the past year remains a significant concern for the Toronto Police Service, and addressing it continues to be a top priority,” said Deputy Chief Robert Johnson. “For over 40 years, Toronto Crime Stoppers has been a critical partner in community safety. The tips provided to Crime Stoppers are saving lives – they’re removing guns from our streets, putting dangerous offenders behind bars, and protecting Toronto communities. If you know someone with a crime gun that poses a threat to our neighborhoods, contact Crime Stoppers. Together, we can get these dangerous weapons off our streets.”

Toronto Crime Stoppers, a not-for-profit community-based organization, was launched in 1984 and since its inception has taken-in over 198,000 tips. In 2024, the program received over 7,000 tips and processed over 20,000 follow-up tips, which resulted in the following:

  • More than $2.4 million in property and illegal narcotics seized/recovered
  • 99 individuals arrested
  • More than 490 charges laid
  • More than 135 cases cleared

Most notable, several tips assisted the Toronto Police Service in recovering over 11 stolen vehicles, seizing 15 firearms, and assisting the Homicide and Missing Persons Unit to solve five homicide cases.

“Toronto Crime Stoppers remains steadfast in our commitment to combating criminal activity across the city and surrounding regions. As we begin 2025, our early focus will be on addressing gun violence and reinforcing that community safety is a shared responsibility,” said Sean Sportun, Chair of Toronto Crime Stoppers. “Our continued theme, ‘Your City. Your Safety. Your Call.’, underscores our ongoing advocacy for public safety and our mission to inspire the collaborative effort to achieve a crime-free Toronto.”

The Toronto Crime Stoppers program is one of the largest worldwide, and is a partnership between the police, the media, and the community that enables concerned members of the public to anonymously provide information on the identity of a criminal or incidents of criminal activity. All tips received by Toronto Crime Stoppers are forwarded to the appropriate police agency for investigation. Every time a tip is provided to Toronto Crime Stoppers, it gives the police one more opportunity to solve a crime.

Crime Stoppers takes information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Calls are not recorded and Crime Stoppers does not have call display, guaranteeing that your identity remains anonymous and you will never be asked to identify yourself or testify in court. To report a crime to Toronto Crime Stoppers call 416-222-8477 (TIPS).

For more information on how to report various crimes to Crime Stoppers, visit their website at 222tips.com and follow them on Instagram at @torontocrimestoppers or on X at @1800222TIPS.


By Nadine Ramadan

Nadine Ramadan

Senior Communications Advisor

Corporate Communications

for Deputy Chief Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson

Deputy Chief Robert Johnson

Specialized Operations Command

Specialized Operations Command

 

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