What Is Crime Stoppers?

Crime Stoppers is a not-for-profit organization consisting of a
volunteer board and a Coordinator, which is usually a Police
Officer.  It operates from the idea that for just about every
crime committed, someone other than the offender knew
about it or might have seen or overheard something suspicious.
 It might be you.

How Does It Work?

Each week an unsolved felony "Crime of the Week" is
selected from police files to be reported at the actual scene
of the crime.  It is shown on television, aired on radio stations
throughout the week and appears in the newspaper.

If any citizen has information on the featured crime - or any
crime - they call the special Crime Stoppers phone number.
The Crime Stoppers staff logs the call with the date, time
and brief summary of the caller's information.

For any citizen with information on a crime, Crime Stoppers offers:

How Are Citizens Involved?

Citizens with a tip on the featured "Crime of the Week" - or
any crime - call the special Crime Stopper's phone number.
To assure anonymity, the caller is given a secret code
number for any future communication, and is asked to maintain
contact with Crime Stoppers.

If investigation by law enforcement results in the arrest and
filing of criminal charges against a felony crime offender or the
apprehension of a felony fugitive, Crime Stoppers will make
arrangements with the caller for the cash reward.

How Is Law Enforcement Involved?

The tip information is given to the proper law enforcement
agency for investigation. If the information leads to an arrest,
law enforcement informs Crime Stoppers. When the
informant calls back to Crime Stoppers to check their secret
code number, Crime Stoppers makes arrangements to pay
the cash reward.

How Is The Media Involved?

Support from television, radio stations and the newspapers is
the critical link to citizen involvement.  The "Crime of the Week"
report is filmed at the actual scene of the crime and reported
by the Crime Stoppers Coordinator.

The "Crime of the Week" report increases public interest in
Crime Stoppers and helps locate witnesses who have
information leading to a solution to the crime. All production
expenses and airtime costs are donated by the cooperating
media as a public service.

How Is Crime Stoppers Funded?

Crime Stoppers is a nonprofit organization, funded entirely
with Fund Raisers and donations from citizens and civic
organizations.  Contributions are TAX DEDUCTIBLE.

What About The Cash Reward?

All money raised is used to cover the payment of cash
rewards which can vary from $50 to $1,000 depending on the
seriousness of the crime and the relevance of the tip to the
crime.

The use of a cash reward is offered to motivate citizens who
have information...and anonymity is preserved to overcome
any fear of involvement in a criminal case.

Who Is In Charge Of The Program?

The responsibility for setting policy and goals, raising money
and organizing citywide participation is the work of an
independent board of directors made up of concerned citizens.

What Can I Do To Help?

If you or a civic organization wants to know more about
Crime Stoppers, the Coordinator will be happy to explain the
program with a presentation before your group.

More importantly, we need your support, your involvement and
your contributions. No community program works unless
citizens become involved. No program as critical as
Crime Stoppers - to bring justice and cut down on crime - will
succeed without the contributions of citizens such as you.