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Crime Stoppers Program


Crime Stoppers is the community, law enforcement, and media working together to solve crimes. It provides a way for citizens to help solve crimes by calling in clues. A good clue can be a great advancement in solving a crime, and often comes from a concerned citizen. Crime Stoppers encourages citizens to volunteer information helpful to law enforcement agencies by guaranteeing anonymity and by offering a cash reward for information leading to an arrest.

Local Media Participation
Crime Stoppers is an effective way to involve citizens in fighting and preventing crime in their communities. Much of the success is due to participation in the program by local media: newspapers, radio stations, and television stations help publicize the Crime Stoppers numbers and encourage awareness of crimes by printing and broadcasting information about crimes that citizens can help solve.

To Provide Clues Call: 1-800-CR-CRIME

Guaranteed Confidentiality and Cash Rewards
Organization of the Program
Crime Stoppers is a partnership of concerned citizens and local law enforcement agencies. A board of citizen volunteers establishes policy, decides the amount and method of rewards, and raises funds. The operational side of the program is handled by local law enforcement officials. They answer all calls received on the Crime Stoppers line and concentrate on investigating and solving crimes with the aid of information called in by citizens. Crime Stoppers is a non-profit corporation with tax-exempt status.

Funding
Crime Stoppers is funded primarily by private donations of money, goods, and services from the public. Donors include individuals, businesses, clubs, and associations. All contributions are tax-deductible. No Crime Stoppers rewards are paid out of local, state, or federal tax dollars.

Caller Confidentiality
Anyone with information about a crime can call Crime Stoppers and give their clues to the officer on duty. All callers may remain anonymous, identified only by a code number. If the clue leads to an arrest, a cash reward may be given. The Crime Stoppers citizen board judges the value of the information and decides the amount of the reward.

Crime Stoppers Programs Across the Country
Crime Stoppers has become recognized as one of the nation's most successful anti-crime programs since it began in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1976. There are Crime Stoppers programs in the United Stations and Canada.

Results
Crime Stoppers has led to the recovery of items such as: automobiles, stereo equipment, tractors, parts and tools, snowmobiles, roofing shingles, gasoline and miscellaneous spray gun equipment, numerous radar detectors, leather jackets and clothing, and many, many more items too numerous to mention.

Rewards
Numerous authorized rewards have been paid out. The rewards vary from $50 to $2,500. The amounts are based on the seriousness of the crime and significance of the information provided by the caller. The unpaid reward money remains in the Crime Stoppers account. Reasons for non-payment of authorized rewards vary from a caller declining the authorized reward to a caller not making arrangements to pick up the reward. Many Crime Stoppers callers wish to remain anonymous.

More Information
If you'd like more information about Crime Stoppers, please call (319) 286-5440 or e-mail the Crime Prevention Bureau.