Community safety is everyone’s business
Crime Stoppers Queensland State Manager, Renae Long has shone a spotlight on the important role the organisation plays at the recent City of Gold Coast Mayor Safer Suburbs Forum 2022.
For more than 30 years, Crime Stoppers Queensland has been working with police and everyday Australians to keep our communities safer.
State Manager Renae Long recently presented at the City of Gold Coast Mayor Safer Suburbs Forum, shining a spotlight on our crime-preventing organisation and outlining the important role Crime Stoppers plays in empowering Gold Coast residents to become ‘everyday heroes’ by reporting crime in their neighbourhood, while remaining anonymous.
Across Australia, someone contacts Crime Stoppers every two minutes to share information that is then passed to police and leads to an average of 100 arrests and 2,934 charges across the state.
“Gold Coast residents making the ‘right call’ to Crime Stoppers has significantly reduced crime on our streets and put some of the country’s most dangerous criminals behind bars,” said Mrs Long.
“On the Gold Coast we have two volunteer area committees – Gold Coast North Area Committee and South Gold Coast Tweed. Collectively, they have more than 20 passionate volunteers but we are always happy to welcome more.
“At our recent Crime Stoppers Queensland Awards, the Volunteer of the Year went to Ivo Nekvapil from our Gold Coast Area Committee.”
To ensure a safer community across the coast, the dedicated volunteers are a vital link between the local community and the Crime Stoppers organisation.
They work throughout the Gold Coast to educate people on the role of Crime Stoppers and ensure the public know they can trust the organisation with their information, when to call and that anonymity is assured. This direct contact is instrumental to the program’s ongoing success on the Coast.
In the 12 months leading to March 2022, calls to Crime Stoppers led to 91 arrests and 320 charges in the Gold Coast district and seized drugs with a street value of $223,420.
“During COVID, we have seen an increase of Gold Coast residents looking out for their neighbours and wanting to be responsible citizens,” said Mrs Long.
“Community safety is everyone’s responsibility and even volunteering a few hours a month can make a big impact in creating safer neighbourhoods here on the coast.”