All Johannesburg residents can make use of ‘Crime Stop’

Crime Stop is a national contact centre staffed with trained investigative interviewers with basic detective training.

They assist anonymous callers to provide usable information on criminals, their criminal actions and their whereabouts. This contact centre may be accessed by calling 08600 10111 and is operational all day, every day.

According to the South African Police Services, it provides concerned citizens with a platform to blow the whistle on criminal activities anonymously without becoming involved in the sometimes demanding criminal justice proceedings. Crime Stop is deemed to be one of the most successful tip-off services in the world and has assisted in solving thousands of unsolved crimes and the seizing of hundreds of illegal drugs worth millions of rands.

Crime Stop is an investigation support mechanism that acts as an agent between informants and investigating officers. Staff at the centre do not investigate the tips, but ensure that they receive the attention they deserve at operational level. The agents will follow up on information provided until the investigation has been concluded.

Callers should try to answer the five ‘Ws’ (who, what, where, when, why) and the ‘H’ (how) when they phone. This will guide the officers in their investigations. If you are in doubt, phone Crime Stop. Let the professionals decide whether or not the information is helpful.

Although the staff are well trained and very dedicated, they are not miracle workers. The process of true justice is unfortunately slow and tedious.

The proper investigation of crime takes time and everything must be done within the ambit of the law as all evidence is tested in court. Unfortunately, Crime Stop also receives false and malicious information and the focus must be on protecting innocent people in as much as it should be on bringing people to book who are in conflict with the law. It is simply not fair to expect feedback on the information provided within a day after the information was given.

Is it illegal to post ongoing crime on social media?

Crime Stop cannot be blamed if a suspect is released on bail as it is a conditional right enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa. Crime Stop can also not be blamed if a person is convicted and released with a suspended sentence.

If you have an emergency and you require police assistance, phone the emergency number 10111. This is a free call when phoned from a landline. However, service providers charge for calls made from a cellphone. The 10111 contact centre falls under the management of the Visible Policing Division at various police stations.

If you anonymously want to blow the whistle on criminals and their activities, phone the Crime Stop share call number. This will allow a caller to activate the vast investigative resources with the police force, provided that the information is comprehensive enough to allow the detectives to conduct an investigation.

The 08600 10111 contact centre falls under the management of the Detective Service Division.

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