Lethbridge Police Halt Crime Stoppers Over Data Breach

Lethbridge Police Service announced its suspension from the Crime Stoppers program due to a cybersecurity incident impacting the P3 Tips platform. This platform, operated by third-party provider Navigate 360, experienced a data breach earlier this year. The breach potentially exposed personal information of individuals who submitted tips, though it is currently unclear if any southern Alberta tipsters were affected.

The federal privacy commissioner has launched an investigation into the incident. This inquiry will assess the security measures Navigate 360 had in place and their compliance with federal privacy laws. Both organizations are cooperating to ensure appropriate actions are taken to protect Canadians' personal information.

As a result of the breach and ongoing investigations, police services across Canada are also suspending their participation with Crime Stoppers. Lethbridge police encourage the public to report crime concerns directly to them in the interim. Calgary police, however, have stated they will continue receiving tips, citing their independent operation and data sanitization processes.