By Mark Squibb
Mount Pearl City councillor Isabelle Fry is imploring residents to report crime to Newfoundland and Labrador Crime Stoppers.
“There has been an increase in (criminal) activity across the northeast Avalon,” said Fry during a council meeting earlier this month. “I was part of a meeting recently with the Northeast Avalon Joint Regional Council and there was a discussion on this, and one of the things that Sgt. Ryan Slaney from the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said was that the justice system fundamentally depends on somebody else reporting the issue. If someone doesn’t report it, police cannot act on it.”
Fry acknowledged that some people are understandably hesitant to report crimes.
“I’ve had a number of parents speak to me within the last year or so, and one of the things that they have concerns over, which, I feel is justified, they say, ‘Look, I’m not going to call and report it. I’m not going to put a target on my kid’s head.’ And I get that, I understand that. And that seems to be the case in a lot of situations. People don’t want to get involved, they don’t want the hassle, they don’t want the repercussions.”
To that end, Fry said people can call Crime Stoppers to report crime anonymously.
“You will not be asked to give your name, and you will not have to testify in court,” said Fry. “Please, just share the information.”
Fry added that some people don’t report crime because they may feel that by the time police arrive, the criminals will be long gone.
“Perhaps,” Fry allowed. “But still report it. Call and report it, whether you call the RNC or, if you don’t want to get involved, call Crime Stopers, because at least the message is being reported, the statistics are being reported, and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary are aware of things that are happening. And so, I cannot stress enough — please, please, please, if you know of anything that’s happening, call Crime Stoppers.”
Councillor Jim Locke doubled down on the importance of reporting criminal activity.
“We’ve met regularly with our RNC, and if it’s not reported, they don’t see it as an issue,” said Locke. “The data helps dictate where resources may be put. And so, by reporting it — and as was said, there may not be an immediate response— but it goes into their data set, and if they notice a certain level of activity in a certain area, they will direct resources to that area.”
