Big Bear Lake, CA, April 25, 2013 – At the National WeTip Conference on April 19, the program awarded Deputy Alex Collins of the Big Bear Station the Award of Valor, and Detective Jeremiah MacKay a posthumous Award of Valor. Collins and MacKay were struck by gunfire during the Christopher Dorner manhunt in February; MacKay died of his wounds.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department was awarded the distinction of being the “Sheriff Department of the Year.” In accepting the honor, Sheriff-Coroner John McMahon acknowledged what the award meant to the citizens of San Bernardino County. This “signifies to the public that the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner’s Department embraces the efforts of WeTip Inc. and works diligently to investigate tips from those who have information regarding crime but fear reprisal,” he said.
WeTip Inc. was founded in 1972 as an anonymous crime reporting resource for citizens, and a tool to aid law enforcement. WeTip operators staff the toll free nationwide crime hotlines and Internet lines 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.