Lethbridge Police Service says it is suspending its participation in the Crime Stoppers program following a cybersecurity incident involving the organization’s tip management platform. Police say the P3 Tips platform, operated by third-party provider Navigate 360, was compromised earlier this year in a data breach that exposed Crime Stoppers submissions, including personal information that could identify people who provided tips. It remains unclear whether anyone who submitted tips in southern Alberta was affected by the breach, according to the organization. Earlier this week, the federal privacy commissioner launched an investigation into the incident. The investigation will examine the security safeguards Navigate 360 had in place at the time of the breach and whether they complied with federal private-sector privacy laws. In a news release, the commissioner said the office will engage with both organizations to ensure appropriate steps are taken to address the breach and protect Canadians’ personal information. Police services in other jurisdictions across Canada are also suspending their partnerships with Crime Stoppers as the investigation continues. In the meantime, the public can contact Lethbridge police directly to report information about crime or public safety concerns. Calgary police to continue receiving Crime Stoppers tips In a statement, Calgary police said they will continue receiving tips through Crime Stoppers after engaging directly with the organization. “It is important to note that Crime Stoppers operates independently of the CPS and manages its own information databases. We do not manage or control the information held within those systems, and the data that was the subject of this breach was not the CPS,” the statement read. “Information reported through Crime Stoppers that is shared with CPS is reviewed and sanitized again before it is shared with investigators, with safeguards in place to protect the identity of the tipster.” Police say anyone who believes they are being threatened or intimidated or has concerns about their safety as a result of the breach, should contact their local police service.
