Crime Stoppers has launched a campaign aimed at getting firearms off the streets.
The initiative will take place over the next couple months.
"This campaign is specifically to make our community safer,” says Const. Kristina Gilboe of Windsor and Essex County Crime Stoppers. “You'll always remain anonymous. You'll never have to appear in court."
With recent gun violence in the city, the group has decided to launch a campaign in hopes of taking illegal guns off the street.
“Each tip that we receive into our office is taken seriously and are forwarded to the appropriate investigators for investigation."
She says citizens with information can earn a $1,000 reward, should they meet the requirements.
“An arrest, a weapons charge and a seizure of illegal firearms - the tipster will be guaranteed a thousand dollar reward."
Gilboe says the firearms could be coming from outside the area. “From smuggling across the border. Also they may be stolen firearms that were stolen from private residents or businesses and also could be coming down from the larger big cities."
The campaign comes at the right time.
Just last week, three people were arrested after shots were fired on Drouillard Road.
The week before that, police found damage to a home on Mercer Street from another incident involving gun shots.
It's not the first time Crime Stoppers has used this type of initiative.
In years past, the group used a similar campaign to target fentanyl traffickers.
"Those last two initiatives that we ran over the last two years were very successful and we hope that this initiative and this campaign will also prove to be successful as well,” Gilboe says.
This year’s campaign will continue until Sept. 8.
