The St. Thomas Police Service has temporarily suspended its participation in the St. Thomas-Elgin Crime Stoppers program following a cybersecurity breach involving a third-party platform used to manage anonymous tips. In a news release issued Friday, police said the breach involves Navigate360’s P3 platform, the system used by Crime Stoppers organizations to receive and manage anonymous information from the public. Police said the decision to pause participation was made immediately as officials assess the scope of the breach and determine what safeguards may be required before continuing involvement in the program. The St. Thomas Police Service said the incident involves a third-party Crime Stoppers platform that operates independently from police internal information systems. Investigators are working to verify the impact on the St. Thomas-Elgin Crime Stoppers program, including any potential risks to individuals who submitted information, confidential data and ongoing police investigations. “Crime Stoppers and its volunteers have made valuable contributions to the St. Thomas community for decades, strengthening public safety through a longstanding partnership and valuable support for police investigations,” Chief Marc Roskamp said in the release. “The safety of people who provide information, the protection of confidential information and public trust must guide our response. We will reassess our participation once we have the verified findings and security assurances needed to make an informed decision.” Police are asking residents to report crimes and public safety concerns directly to the St. Thomas Police Service while the suspension remains in effect. Anyone with information about a crime or public safety concern can contact police at 519-631-1224. Non-emergency incidents can also be reported through the service’s online reporting system. Police said anyone requiring immediate assistance should call 911. What is London Police Service doing? In a satement to CTV News, the London Police Service said it is aware of the reported cybersecurity incident involving a third-party tip-management platform used by Crime Stoppers programs. “The incident did not involve London Police Service internal systems,” said the statement. It went on to say, “We take this matter seriously and are working with our local and national Crime Stoppers partners to assess any potential impact. We will take appropriate action as further information becomes available.”
