Crime Stoppers – Internet Violence Prevention

[Blog] What Is Social Alchemy? & Why It Is Important For Social Media Professionals

Social alchemy is transforming something bad into something good. People who facilitate social alchemy are referred to as alchemists. Aurora, Ontario Post Traumatic Stress advocate Kate Gille has become an alchemist, and she may not even know it! The goal of this blog post is to educate others to engage in the concept of social alchemy, especially on social media where so much negativity can happen. Let's take it to a positive in person dialogue. "Together we are stronger". The Future : The Past for @GraffitiBMXCop @TorontoPolice pic.twitter.com/PYkCSjRRNz— Kate Gillie (@KateGillieART) August 21, 2015 The concept of social alchemy first came to my attention in 2009 during a presentation at Humber College Lakeshore Campus in Professor Arthur Lockhart's Criminal Justice Studies class that I was doing with graffiti artist Jessey Pacho. It was pointed out by Professor Lockhart that both Jessey and I were practicing alchemists and we didn't even know it! Since that time, the concept of social alchemy is something I have tried to incorporate consciously into my daily work life managing Toronto Police Service social media accounts. Watch the Art's explanation of social alchemy here: As the Toronto Police Service Social Media Officer, my daily job involves [...]

By GraffitiBMXCop|2015-08-22T12:11:43-04:00August 22nd, 2015|Community Building, Crime Stoppers, Social Media To Help People Succeed|0 Comments

10 Social Media Tips For Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers @CSOntario #OACS2015

Waterloo Crime Stoppers Chair Jeanean Thomas & Toronto Police Service Social Media Officer presented "Social Media For Crime Stoppers Programs" to delegates attending the Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers 2015 Annual Training Conference at the Hilton Hotel, London, Ontario Canada Sunday June 8, 2015 Social media needs to be a priority for all Crime Stoppers programs. In order to achieve an effective social media presence it is imperative to have a purpose and process in place that will allow Crime Stoppers programs to achieve payoff and potential for their goals of preventing and solving crime together. Special thank you to Meaghan Gray, Toronto Police Service Corporate Communications Issues Manager for making Social Media For Communications Crime Stoppers training possible. Two presentations were offered to delegates at the 2015 Ontario Association of Crime Stoppers Annual Training Conference in London, Ontario led by Jeanean Thomas, Chair of Waterloo Region Crime Stoppers and Constable Scott Mills, Toronto Police Service Social Media Officer. Watch one of the presentations in its entirety here: Below is a list of tips that were discussed and links to more information. The list is by no means exhaustive, and if anyone has more tips to add please [...]

By GraffitiBMXCop|2015-06-08T14:54:12-04:00June 8th, 2015|Community Building, Crime Stoppers|0 Comments

Crime Stoppers Tip #1800222TIPS Tipped Cops Off In Time To Stop Halifax Mall Mass Shooting

Anonymity of Crime Stoppers tips in Canada is protected by case law of the Supreme Court since 1997. The case law is R. v. Liepert An anonymous Crime Stoppers tip has foiled a mass shooting plot at a Halifax, Nova Scotia shopping mall. This is an excellent example of why community led Crime Stoppers programs are valuable to community safety worldwide. This particular tip has been called 'the most significant' ever to prevent a crime in Canada by Ralph Page, the President of the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association. Statement from Premier Stephen McNeil on Investigation by Law Enforcement http://t.co/d03qXaSJ0h — Nova Scotia Gov. (@nsgov) February 14, 2015 A number of links will be shared in this post to reference and bookmark this case. Many volunteers work tirelessly for local, provincial, national and international Crime Stoppers programs. Often times, funding for the programs in Canada are scarce, and many programs have been threatened with shutting down due to financial hardship. Please remember that Crime Stoppers programs are registered charities that issue tax receipts for donations. The programs are community operated in partnership with the police and media to prevent and solve crime together. Please consider reaching out and donating [...]

By GraffitiBMXCop|2015-02-16T19:26:38-05:00February 16th, 2015|Crime Stoppers|0 Comments

Community Connections at Blyth Academy Thornhill For Success & Safety @BlythEducation

Community Connections and Experiential Eduation are key at Blyth Academy, Thornhill, Ontario, Canada @BlythEducation Social Media For Success & Safety Presentation Thursday May 1, 2014 was led by social worker Angel Freedman, pictured here with Blyth Academy Thornhill Guidance Counsellor Patrick Butler. #FirstRespondersDay @YRP @TorontoPolice We are in this together.— Angel Freedman (@angelfreedman) May 1, 2014 York Regional Police and York Region Crime Stoppers references: Check out great York Regional Police official tumblr page with drug education Check out York Region Crime Stoppers here Amazing community connections are happening every day at Blyth Academy Thornhill, Ontario, Canada It was an honour for me, Constable Scott Mills Toronto Police Service Corporate Communications Social Media Officer, to be invited to Blyth Academy for a social media for success and safety talk with 75 students Thursday May 1, 2014. Amazing kids were at the talk at this private school specializing in experiential education. We did a Hangout On Air of a portion of the talk. The archived Youtube Live event can be watched here, as well as people can continue to the dialogue towards student success here by posting photos and text on Google Plus. Watch our video: Special thank you [...]

By GraffitiBMXCop|2015-04-17T12:20:09-04:00May 1st, 2014|Crime Stoppers, Endorsements, Official Police, Reference Documents, Social Media To Help People Succeed, Youth|1 Comment

See what over 4 million people overheard at Norwich University in Vermont at #CSISymposium 2014

The 7th Annual CSI & Technology Symposium occurred at Norwich University in Vermont USA April 22 & 23, 2014 Thanks to Amanda Blain for educating on preventing cyber bullying and advocating for solutions & Real Time Crisis Intervention at #CSISymposium 2014 at Norwich University in Vermont USA April 23, 2014 Amazing human being Amanda Blain helped a courageous mother named Carol Todd raise awareness using her over 4 million Google Plus connections to help stop cyber bulling and teen suicides at the 7th annual "CSI Symposium" at Norwich University, Northfield, Vermont on Wednesday April 23, 2014. Teen Amanda Todd committed suicide after posting a youtube video online outlining her harassment. It was interesting to note in the presentation that Carol herself feared that Amanda Blain would be subject to online harassment for participating in the presentation done live using Google Plus Hangouts On Air technology at the Dole Auditorium on campus. Constable Mills stressed that the good must prevail, and we must use social media tools for success and safety. "We must act local, and think global, and celebrate success along with promote safety together using social media tools". Watch the archived hangout on air here: [...]

By GraffitiBMXCop|2014-04-24T18:09:42-04:00April 23rd, 2014|Community Building, Crime Stoppers, Reference Documents, Social Media To Help People Succeed, Youth|1 Comment

#RealTimeCrisis Vision For 24/7 Professional Support In Social Media To Stop Cyberbullying & Prevent Suicide

Toronto Street Nurse Anne Marie Batten informally meets Toronto Police Chief William Blair Wednesday November 20, 2013 in the lobby of Toronto Police HQ and chat about the potential of Real Time Crisis Intervention, a not for profit corporation that Anne Marie has started to use social media tools to save and improve lives "Saving & Improving Lives" Real Time Crisis Intervention is a not for profit company started in 2013 by a Toronto based street nurse named Anne Marie Batten with the goal of 24/7 professional crisis intervention using social media tools to reduce 911 police/ambulance calls for service & visits to Emergency Depts at hospitals for mental health related crisis Each time there is a major government announcement about "Cyberbullying" I must admit, I get a little 'worked up'. For ten years now, a number of people have been advocating for a relationships & technology strategy to improve and save lives using social media tools. I must admit, that I am one of those people, all along in my role as a police officer. We have heard every excuse why it won't work, from legal liability reasons to professionals not wanting to have any [...]

By GraffitiBMXCop|2013-11-21T06:14:34-05:00November 20th, 2013|Crime Stoppers, Official Police, Reference Documents, Social Media To Help People Succeed|0 Comments

#OACP #LAwSac Cop Social Media Training Ontario Police College #HOA Links & Contact Info

Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and Laws Communications co-hosted social media training for police officers at the Ontario Police College Nov13-15, 2013 Connect with Lauri Stevens @LawsComm Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and Laws Communications co-hosted social media training for police officers at the Ontario Police College Nov13-15, 2013. Connect with Joe Couto on twitter @OACPOfficial Faces of success and safety at Ontario Police College Social Media Training Nov13-15, 2013 were Stephanie Mackenzie-Smith @Dash_30_Dash Cst Marco Ricciardi @TPS_Marco and Lauri Stevens @LawsComm It was indeed an honour to be be invited to participate in training 74 law enforcement personnel from across the province of Ontario, and from as far away as Detroit and Vancouver November 13-15, 2013 at the Ontario Police College. There were a total of 3 Hangouts On Air that are available to review from the training. These interactive training sessions were live on youtube at the time, and are archived on the same link as they were live on for later viewing. Please share with anyone who can make a difference in moving the use of social media for community success and safety forward for any organization. Click here [...]

By GraffitiBMXCop|2013-11-15T13:42:42-05:00November 15th, 2013|Crime Stoppers, Official Police, Reference Documents, Social Media To Help People Succeed|0 Comments

#RealTimeCrisis Toronto Crisis Team Turns To Social Media To Save Lives by @LiamDevlinCasey @TorontoStar

Story appeared in Toronto Star Monday August 26, 2013 by reporter Liam Casey Thank you to Mark Horvath of InvisiblePeople.tv for inspiring this work. Toronto crisis team turns to social media to save lives. Real Time Crisis uses an innovative suicide intervention strategy — it goes directly, via social media, to people crying out for help. Photo For Online Story On #RealTimeCrisis @RealTimeCrisis Intervention To Save And Improve Lives In Toronto Star Monday August 26, 2013 Edition | photo by Rick Madodnik “Can I help?” Those three words can save lives. In fact, they are the very words that Anne Marie Batten — a Toronto street nurse involved in an innovative suicide intervention strategy — sends out over and over via Twitter as she talks down people in distress, some on the verge of taking their lives. For the past 18 months, Batten and Toronto police Const. Scott Mills have been working on a fledgling non-profit organization to help the mentally ill 24 hours a day on social media. They’ve dubbed it Real Time Crisis. “We’d rather not shoot somebody that’s in crisis,” said Mills. His employer, the Toronto police force, has come under intense scrutiny in recent [...]

By GraffitiBMXCop|2013-08-26T16:11:21-04:00August 26th, 2013|Community Building, Crime Stoppers, Endorsements, Media, Reference Documents, Social Media To Help People Succeed|0 Comments

“7F Rocks” Bliss Carman Senior Public School, Social Media & The Law by Cop Laurie McCann @AnalyzeThis5253

Grade 7 teacher Sara Asif @Miss_Asif and Toronto Police Service officer Laurie McCann @AnalyzeThis5253 talked about Social Media And The Law with students June 11, 2013 at Bliss Carmen Senior Public School in Scarborough Great kids, great teacher, great presentation! Please share the info with fellow students, parents and the community Presentation Slides: Presentation Hangout On Air archived Live to Youtube: Thanks to Detective Jeff Bangild for connecting Constable Laurie McCann with teacher Sara Asif for this presentation. Follow Scott Mills in social media "Graffiti BMX Cop" on Facebook, Twitter and Youtube

By GraffitiBMXCop|2013-06-11T11:42:31-04:00June 11th, 2013|Community Building, Crime Stoppers, Official Police, Reference Documents, Social Media To Help People Succeed|2 Comments

#BoostSM Social Media For Communications & Investigations Hosted By @BoostForKids at @TorontoPolice College

Boost For Kids Social Media For Communications and Investigations Education Protocol Training June 4, 2013 at Toronto Police College Special thank you to Chief William Blair, Deputy Chief Peter Sloly, Deputy Chief Mike Federico, Deputy Chief Mark Saunders, Sergeant Tim Burrows, Constable Warren Bulmer and Corporate Communications heads Mark Pugash and Meaghan Gray of Toronto Police Service for allowing the framework for the presentations today to grow and be a valued and necessary community success and safety tool. Thank you to every person who has contributed to the teamwork happening today in any way. Everyone is valued and appreciated. This blog captures information presented at a workshop Tuesday June 4, 2013 9:30am - 12:00pm at the Toronto Police College. The post is designed to be a reference for the 100 delegates at the workshop and others who are interested to share with colleagues and friends to further the use of social media for communications and investigations for community success and safety. Our motto for the day is "Each one teach one". The hash tag for the event on twitter is #BoostSM. The text of the flyer for the event is posted below. Thanks to Pearl Rimmer from Boost [...]

By GraffitiBMXCop|2013-06-04T11:11:30-04:00June 4th, 2013|Community Building, Crime Stoppers, Official Police, Reference Documents, Social Media To Help People Succeed, Youth|0 Comments