What is CrimeStoppers?

CrimeStoppers is a program that involves the public, the media, and the police in the fight against crime. It offers anonymity and cash rewards to people who furnish information leading to the arrest and indictment of felony crime offenders. Anonymity overcomes fear of involvement, and cash overcomes apathy.

How Does it Work?

Local law enforcement agencies conduct CrimeStoppers investigations, but a board of directors made up of citizens from a broad cross-section of the community is responsible for establishing CrimeStoppers' policy, raising funds, and determining the amount and method of reward payments. The CrimeStoppers programs are nonprofit corporations funded by contributions from the community.

The CrimeStoppers coordinator, who is a police officer, processes information received through a special CrimeStoppers telephone line. Callers, who never have to give their names, are given code numbers. When a caller's information leads to an arrest, the caller again contacts the CrimeStoppers coordinator to establish a method of payment. A number of callers entitled to rewards do not accept them.

Who Benefits?

The community! The program is a true partnership. Citizens are involved. Crimes are solved. Stolen property is recovered. Drugs are confiscated. Criminals are jailed. CrimeStoppers helps make our community a safer and better place to live, work, and play! 

History of how the first Crime Stoppers program was started.

In 1976, a detective in Albuquerque, New Mexico, felt the frustration that every police officer knows so well. Crime in his city was escalating at an alarming rate and the community appeared to be apathetic, and frightened of retribution from the criminal element.

Greg MacAleese, a journalist turned policeman, was the frustrated officer. He had exhausted all possible leads in a murder case, when he decided he would try an unorthodox approach. He arranged for a reenactment of the murder to be shown on a local T.V. station and invited viewers to call him with information. In return he offered them anonymity and the possibility of a cash reward if the information led to an arrest. An arrest was made within five days of the reenactment being shown and Crime Stoppers, as we know it today, commenced.