CRIME  ALERTS NETWORK

RECEIVES COMMISSIONER'S CITATION

Left-Right: Middlesex O.P.P. Operations Manager-Staff Sergeant Karen Moffatt, Middlesex County 2000 Warden-Crispin Colvin, West Nissouri Community Policing-Chris Chivers, O.P.P. Commissioner-Gwen Boniface.

On October 24th, 2000, in Tillsonburg, at an O.P.P. Western Region Awards Banquet, the Crime Alerts Network Internet site and it's originators, received an O.P.P. Commissioner's Citation, in honour of the web sites contribution to communicating information to residents of Ontario in a timely manner, pertaining to events that have happened in their area.  These areas are policed by The Ontario Provincial Police.  The text on the award is as follows:

O.P.P. Commissioner's Citation

Chris Chivers

is presented with this award in recognition of his development of the Crime Alerts Network Internet site.

Mr. Chivers is a member of the West Nissouri Community Policing Committee and a newspaper reporter.  In the summer of 1999, he realized crime and safety information valuable to rural residents in western Ontario was not reaching them in a timely fashion.  Mr. Chivers was then maintaining the West Nissouri Township Web site on a volunteer basis.  He received permission from the township council and the London Ontario Provincial Police Detachment to post the detachment's daily media releases on the township's Web site.  This connection provided residents with access to information regarding stolen vehicle licence plate numbers, suspicious vehicles and break and enters.  Once the detachment's input on the site was advertised, the number of daily "hits" on the page increased significantly.  In January 2000, Mr. Chivers discovered an internet site in the United States where different police departments were able to post media releases.  He decided to create a mock Web site for all of rural Ontario, separating the province in the same six regions used by the O.P.P.  The Crime Alerts Network was created and Imaginet Communications donated a site on their server for its use.  Mr. Chivers maintains the site which is now operational.  Press releases are posted daily by reagional detachments as well as Western Region Headquarters.  The Crime Alerts Network has lead to the resolution of crimes, provided users with safety tips and showcased community events.  As a result of the site's success in Western Region, the program is being considered for expansion throughout the province.

Chris Chivers is highly commended for his support of the Ontario Provincial Police and service to the citizens of Ontario.

This 24th day of October 2000

                Commissioner

                Ontario Provincial Police