Hamilton Police Service has paused its use of the Crime Stoppers program while seeking further information about the security of its tip-management system and the measures taken following a reported cybersecurity breach.

Hamilton Police has a longstanding partnership with Hamilton Crime Stoppers and has been working closely with the organization to understand the incident and its response.

In June, Hamilton Police informed the public that Crime Stoppers had made the Service aware of a breach and provided assurances that steps had been taken to mitigate the risk. Hamilton Police are now seeking further information to assess whether appropriate safeguards are in place before resuming use of the program.

Protecting people who come forward with information is essential to public trust and community safety. The decision to pause reflects the importance of safeguarding confidential information and the anonymity of those who use Crime Stoppers.

Crime Stoppers operates independently from Hamilton Police Service. Questions about the breach, what information may have been affected and the measures taken in response should be directed to the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association.

Members of the public can continue to report crimes or provide information directly to Hamilton Police by calling 905-546-4925. Reporting directly to police does not offer the anonymity associated with Crime Stoppers. For emergencies or a crime in progress, call 9-1-1.

Hamilton Police will provide an update when further information is available.