The Haliburton Highlands OPP detachment board said it is not actively promoting the use of Crime Stoppers until an investigation is completed into a massive data leak.
CBC investigated the breach in March 2026, identifying more than 1.5 million tips submitted to Crime Stoppers programs across the country over the past 25 years were compromised
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, led by Philippe Dufresne, has launched a formal investigation.
Board chair Andrew Fletcher told a Nov. 4 meeting the PGO (Police Governance Ontario; formerly known as the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards or OAPSB), “has provided us some guidance on what we should be doing as a board. A lot of agencies … have made statements that … they support the Crime Stoppers program but are pausing any involvement with those programs right now. We have received direction from the OPP. They are pausing any involvement with Crime Stoppers at this point in time until such time as the review is completed.”
He said they had not reached out to Kawartha Haliburton Crime Stoppers.
The Highlander attempted to reach Kawartha Haliburton Crime Stoppers but has had no success as of press time. Despite that, Haliburton Highlands OPP detachment commander, Deb McClure, told The Highlander, “OPP will still be investigating any tips received from Crime Stoppers. We will not be turning away tips.”
