Minister welcomes launch of Crimestoppers

Police Minister Judith Collins today welcomed the launch of the Crimestoppers initiative in New Zealand, saying it would provide an anonymous channel for people to "speak out and speak the truth".

Crimestoppers NZ gives New Zealanders an avenue to anonymously pass on information about crime and criminals to law enforcement agencies.

Crimestoppers NZ is independent of Police and other agencies and is modeled on the UK service which has been running successfully for 30 years. The Chairman and founder of Crimestoppers UK, Lord Ashcroft KCMG, attended today's launch.

"The police, and others who serve within the justice system, are only as effective as the information they receive," Ms Collins said.

"To the criminals, one of the best ways to prevent justice is to disrupt the flow of information by intimidating witnesses, victims and others who would otherwise regard it as their duty to speak out.

"As it has done so successfully in many countries overseas, Crimestoppers provides a safe, anonymous channel by which people can speak out and speak the truth."

Ms Collins said the initiative would sit alongside other police partnerships such as Maori Wardens, Community Patrols and Neighbourhood Support, which harness the community's resolve to deal with crime and safety issues.

"Information from Crimestoppers will help police resolve crimes faster and more effectively," Ms Collins said.

"Criminals will no longer be able to buy silence with intimidation or fear. By speaking out, people will give criminals even fewer places to hide."