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Two $1000 Student Crime Stoppers Bursaries Awarded
Crime Stoppers of Haldimand, Norfolk and Tillsonburg is once again pleased to announce that two area secondary school students will be the recipients of this year’s Crime Stoppers William Robert Courtnage Community Service Bursary. Ms. Kristina Hoppe-Schaus of Cayuga Secondary School and Ms. Lacy Spellen of McKinnon Park Secondary School, were both selected to receive a $1000 bursary in recognition of the contributions that they have made in improving and developing the concept of Student Crime Stoppers in their respective schools.
“Our program takes great pride in awarding these bursaries to graduating students to honour the contributions that they have made to their Student Crime Stoppers program as well as their community in general,” said Gord Little, chairperson for the program. He added, “These two awards are very special as they will not only serve to assist dedicated students in their pursuit of a higher education, but their presentation also helps Crime Stoppers of Haldimand, Norfolk and Tillsonburg to celebrate what is a very special 20th anniversary year for our program.”
As part of the bursary application, each year students are asked to write an essay commenting on a different topic. This year’s applicants were asked to give their personal comments on “Crime Stoppers – Reporting is Being a Responsible Citizen.” Very appropriately, one of the winners – Spellen - in her essay states, “Within a community, it becomes not only the job of the police to keep it safe, but also the job of its citizens.” This comment not only very closely mirrors one of Sir Robert Peel’s nine principles of policing which were introduced in the early 1800’s and have become the foundation for policing today (“The police are the public and the public are the police….” ), but it also stresses the importance of what Crime Stoppers is all about – a community based program; owned and supported by members of the public.
Originally introduced in the 1999-2000 school year, the bursary was created by Crime Stoppers of Haldimand, Norfolk and Tillsonburg to both honor the late William Courtnage and assist students in the continuation of their studies. The late William Courtnage enjoyed an exemplary career of community service and he passed away in January of 1999 while still serving on the Crime Stoppers board of directors. Graduating students from any of the eleven high schools in the program’s coverage area who participate in Student Crime Stoppers have an opportunity to qualify for one of two $1000 annual bursaries each year.
Crime Stoppers of Haldimand, Norfolk and Tillsonburg is a community based organization which provides people with an anonymous, confidential way to relay information to investigators without ever having to get involved as a witness. The program’s toll free 1-800-222-TIPS line and online webtips (www.helpsolvecrime.com) are operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week and cash rewards are offered for information that leads to an arrest or charge. Student Crime Stoppers operates under the umbrella of this organization and encourages students to call anonymously to the 1-800-222-TIPS line with information about crime occurring in their school or community.