Three Essential Elements Make Up a Crime Stoppers Program
Community
Crime Stoppers Programs are organized as a not for profit organization (Charity). A civilian community board of directors provides direction as to the financial and promotional activities of the program. The board of directors enhances the community involvement aspect, and its function is vital to the program success. The Crime Stoppers program is funded by private donations and fund raising. The reward money paid out by the program is from fund raising and donations from concerned citizens and businesses. A community board of directors, made up of persons from through out the area, meets on a regular basis to evaluate arrests and to decide on the size of rewards to be paid, up to $1,000. Rewards are then distributed in a private manner to the callers.
Tip calls are answered at the local Crime Stoppers Call Center by citizen volunteers, or if after hours, forwarded to a private commercial call center that is unaffiliated with any law enforcement agency. Caller ID technology is not used by either call center, and conversations are not recorded. Upon receiving tip information directly, or electronically via the commercial call center, Crime Stopper citizen volunteers review the tip information, ensure that any potential personal identity information associated with the caller is removed, and then they forward the anonymous tip information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. The call centers accept calls 24/7 and process tips related to any crime-related event, criminal fugitive, or special requests for information publicized in the local media.
When providing tip information, call center operators assign a special code number to the tip so callers can later follow-up on the status of the tip. Call center operators will never ask or require callers to give their names or any other details related to their personal identity. If the information provided by the caller leads to an arrest, the caller may be entitled to a reward. The special code number, publicized on the Crime Stoppers website and in the Colorado Springs Gazette, is used when publishing award announcements and no personal identity information is required for individuals to claim rewards. Those eligible for a reward can contact the call center and provide the special code number to receive details regarding how to obtain their reward via the anonymous claim process.
Media
Crime Stoppers methods, objectives, successes and phone numbers are publized on a regular basis by local media. An unsolved "Crime of the Week" is given special treatment with details published in newspapers, on radio and in certain cases a re-enactment on television.
Law Enforcement
A special Crime Stoppers phone with a well-publicized number is provided to the community by the Colorado Springs Police Department on behalf of all law enforcement agencies in the 4th Judicial District. Callers are assigned a special code number and never ask to give their names. If, after the investigation, the information leads to an arrest, the caller is entitled to a reward.
Put simply, Crime Stoppers is a three part approach to solving the crime problem. Crime Stoppers relies on cooperation between the police, the media, and the general community to provide a flow of information about crime and criminals
Community
Crime Stoppers Programs are organized as a not for profit organization (Charity). A civilian community board of directors provides direction as to the financial and promotional activities of the program. The board of directors enhances the community involvement aspect, and its function is vital to the program success. The Crime Stoppers program is funded by private donations and fund raising. The reward money paid out by the program is from fund raising and donations from concerned citizens and businesses. A community board of directors, made up of persons from through out the area, meets on a regular basis to evaluate arrests and to decide on the size of rewards to be paid, up to $1,000. Rewards are then distributed in a private manner to the callers.
Tip calls are answered at the local Crime Stoppers Call Center by citizen volunteers, or if after hours, forwarded to a private commercial call center that is unaffiliated with any law enforcement agency. Caller ID technology is not used by either call center, and conversations are not recorded. Upon receiving tip information directly, or electronically via the commercial call center, Crime Stopper citizen volunteers review the tip information, ensure that any potential personal identity information associated with the caller is removed, and then they forward the anonymous tip information to the appropriate law enforcement agency. The call centers accept calls 24/7 and process tips related to any crime-related event, criminal fugitive, or special requests for information publicized in the local media.
When providing tip information, call center operators assign a special code number to the tip so callers can later follow-up on the status of the tip. Call center operators will never ask or require callers to give their names or any other details related to their personal identity. If the information provided by the caller leads to an arrest, the caller may be entitled to a reward. The special code number, publicized on the Crime Stoppers website and in the Colorado Springs Gazette, is used when publishing award announcements and no personal identity information is required for individuals to claim rewards. Those eligible for a reward can contact the call center and provide the special code number to receive details regarding how to obtain their reward via the anonymous claim process.
Media
Crime Stoppers methods, objectives, successes and phone numbers are publized on a regular basis by local media. An unsolved "Crime of the Week" is given special treatment with details published in newspapers, on radio and in certain cases a re-enactment on television.
Law Enforcement
A special Crime Stoppers phone with a well-publicized number is provided to the community by the Colorado Springs Police Department on behalf of all law enforcement agencies in the 4th Judicial District. Callers are assigned a special code number and never ask to give their names. If, after the investigation, the information leads to an arrest, the caller is entitled to a reward.
Put simply, Crime Stoppers is a three part approach to solving the crime problem. Crime Stoppers relies on cooperation between the police, the media, and the general community to provide a flow of information about crime and criminals