The Ontario Provincial Police, including its Upper Ottawa Valley division, has halted its promotion of Crime Stoppers due to a cybersecurity incident linked to a third-party platform that handles anonymous tips.
The breach involves Navigate360, a U. S.-based company providing the P3 Tip Management system used by Crime Stoppers programs throughout Canada. This situation has led several police services in Ontario communities to suspend or pause their use of the program as they gather more information about any possible exposure of sensitive data.
In a statement, OPP Chief Superintendent Brad Mc Callum from the Crime Prevention and Community Support Bureau confirmed that the provincial force is pausing its promotion of this initiative while they evaluate the impact of the incident.
“The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is aware of a cybersecurity incident involving Navigate360, the third-party provider of the P3 Tip Management platform used by Crime Stoppers programs across Canada. While the impact of the cybersecurity incident is assessed, the OPP is pausing the promotion of the Crime Stoppers program.”
The OPP urges anyone with information related to crimes or public safety issues to reach out directly to their local police service through non-emergency reporting methods.
For matters concerning OPP, residents can call 1-888-310-1122 or 613-735-0188, or visit opp. ca and click on ‘Report Online’ to see if their incident can be reported online. The force reminds everyone that 911 should only be used for emergencies needing immediate police, fire, or medical help.
This pause in promotion doesn’t mean that information submitted via Crime Stoppers will be ignored by the OPP.
Alysha van der Valk, strategic communications advisor at OPP’s Corporate Communications Bureau, stated that they don’t want this situation to prevent people from coming forward with information that could aid an investigation.
“I can confirm that the OPP is pausing the promotion of the Crime Stoppers program while the impact of the cybersecurity incident is assessed. However, we do not want to discourage anyone from providing information that could assist an investigation. Individuals can choose the reporting method they are most comfortable with, and if a tip is submitted through Crime Stoppers, the OPP will receive and assess that information as appropriate,” van der Valk told the Observer and News in an email message.
The OPP has directed inquiries regarding this cybersecurity issue, ongoing investigations, and details about potentially affected data to be addressed to Canadian Crime Stoppers Association.
This breach has also prompted responses from municipal police departments across Ontario.
North Bay Police Service and Anishinabek Police Service have ceased accepting anonymous tips via Crime Stoppers platform. Other departments such as those in Windsor, Brockville, Cornwall, and Gananoque have similarly paused their usage of Crime Stoppers. Multiple forces in southwestern Ontario along with those in Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa Police Service have taken comparable actions while seeking further clarity on this matter.
has reported that this incident may have compromised over 1.5 million tips submitted through Crime Stoppers. The full extent of what was accessed during this event remains unclear based on available information for OPP.
For now, provincial authorities say they remain dedicated to public safety and will continue collaborating with community partners as necessary.
Residents who have knowledge about crime are encouraged to contact law enforcement using whichever reporting method feels best for them while assessing how this cybersecurity situation affects things going forward.
Crime Stoppers operates as an independent nonprofit group collecting tips from citizens which it then shares with police agencies to help with investigations.
Anthony Dixon is an award-winning journalist and photographer and the editor of the Pembroke Observer and News covering some key stories in Upper Ottawa Valley. adixon
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