Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers agencies pause service after national data breach

Crime Stoppers agencies across Saskatchewan have told people to stop submitting tips to them due to a national data breach. The non-profit organizations issued a joint news release on Friday confirming the breach's impact in the province. They said the stolen data included information that could potentially identify some people who provided anonymous tips. The pause on accepting tips is temporary. The agencies said they are working through legal counsel to get clear answers from Navigate360, the tech company that owns the P3 software system. They said what they know now is enough for them to act. The province-wide shutdown impacts programs operating out of Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert and the provincial Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers.

People are now urged to call 911 if a crime is happening or someone is in danger. For crimes that are not emergencies, the public should contact their local police station directly. Authorities note that reports made directly to police will not be anonymous. The organizations said the decision to pause was made with the support of local policing partners.

"For decades, people across this province have come to Crime Stoppers trusting they could share information with the goal of making our communities safer," the organizations said in their joint statement. They said new details came to light this week about the data breach at P3. The reporting shows the stolen data included information that could potentially identify some tip providers. Michael Geist, the Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa, previously said the leak "strikes me as potentially one of the most harmful data breaches we've ever seen in Canada." Crime Stoppers programs across the country are pausing after CBC News exposed the extent of the breach earlier this week. The Ottawa Police Service has also temporarily suspended its use of Crime Stoppers, saying it made the decision out of "an abundance of caution."

The agencies emphasized that the safety measure is a temporary pause. Their goal is to resume normal operations and accept anonymous reports as soon as they are fully confident the system is safe to use. Officials strongly urged residents not to try sending tips to any Crime Stoppers program in the province while the online and phone tip networks are down. During the pause, residents can report non-emergency criminal activity directly to local authorities. The release provided contact numbers for municipal police services: Saskatoon Police Service at 306-975-8300, Regina Police Service at 306-777-6500, Moose Jaw Police Service at 306-694-7600, and Prince Albert Police Service at 306-953-4222. People in rural areas or communities policed by the RCMP are told to call 311 or their local detachment.

With files from CBC News, CityNews and paNOW