Breckenridge Texan

Stephens County TX Crime Stoppers launches new crime solving program

Stephens County TX Crime Stoppers launches new crime solving program
May 28
16:19 2019

There is a new tool to help local law enforcement fight crime in Breckenridge and Stephens County – Stephens County TX Crime Stoppers.

The new anonymous crime tips service in Breckenridge launched its website and Facebook page this afternoon, Tuesday, May 28. The organization plans to hold a “Kick-Off” event to introduce the new service at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 3, at the National Theatre, 116 E. Walker St. The event will be free and open to the public.

Officers of the organization, as well as representatives from the Stephens County Sheriff‘s Office and Breckenridge Police Department, will be on hand explain how Crime Stoppers can help reduce crime in the area. Attendees will be given detailed information on how to make the program most effective.

The organization’s Mission Statement says Stephens County TX Crime Stoppers is to “carry out a county-wide offensive against crime through law enforcement, the media and citizen involvement, by encouraging the public to anonymously report information about criminal activities, and by paying rewards for such information that helps to solve crimes.”

Through the new local program, citizens can anonymously report information that may be useful in solving a crime or catching a criminal. And, they could receive up to a $1,000 reward for tips.

How it works

There are three ways to report an anonymous crime tip:

  1. The first option is to call the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 877-500-TIPS (877-500-8477). The information will be taken by a professional call center employee. The Crime Stoppers law enforcement coordinator receiving the information then makes initial inquiries and passes the information to the investigating officer.
  2. Citizens also have the option of providing tips online by logging on to the website www.877500tips.com. Simply click the “Submit a Tip” tab to start the process.
  3. The third method of reporting tips is to download the P3 Tips App on a smart phone or tablet. Then, simply open the app to report crime tips. The app can be downloaded from the Crime Stoppers website, www.877500tips.com.

Anonymity guaranteed

The process is secure and anonymous and is considered by the program’s organizers to be an effective and efficient means of safely communicating with law enforcement in today’s world. By guaranteeing a caller’s anonymity, Crime Stoppers allows the caller to give information in a positive atmosphere without the prospect of retribution, according to information from Crime Stoppers. By offering cash rewards for information leading to indictment or arrests, the program encourages otherwise reluctant callers to provide information.

Anonymous means that the caller’s name is not known and it will not be made public. It is vital to the Crime Stoppers’ organizers that the program guarantee anonymity. If the identity of a tipster was made known against his or her will, it would destroy the trust Crime Stoppers has worked to build within the communities.

According to Crime Stoppers, anonymity means:
• You will never be asked for your name.
• Your call will not be recorded.
• Numbers and online tips are not traced.
• You don’t have to make a statement to police.
• You will not appear in court.

Once a citizen gives Crime Stoppers the information, they will be assigned a code number and password, which is the only method Crime Stoppers has of identifying the caller. The caller must remember the number and provide it to Crime Stoppers when they check on the status of the information they have provided.

The integrated, two-way dialogue capabilities allow the tipster to come back and provide additional information to their tip at any time, and it provides a secure means for the coordinator to ask questions or provide reward information back to the tipster through the same secure and encrypted interface.

Rewards

A reward ranging from $25 to $1,000 will be paid once the investigating law enforcement agency supplies Crime Stoppers written verification that a tip helped lead to the arrest or indictment of a suspect. Rewards are paid out in cash, using the case-specific tip number, maintaining the anonymity of the tipster. A tipster is never identified throughout the process.

More about Crime Stoppers

According to a news release from the local group, Crime Stoppers originated in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1976 after a murder. It has grown to include more than 1,200 programs in 24 countries. More than 1.25 million cases have been solved worldwide.

Crime Stoppers is a private, non-profit organization that is not part of any law enforcement agency and receives no tax dollars for its work, although it does aid law enforcement in crime solving.

In Breckenridge and Stephens County

Stephens County TX Crime Stoppers takes 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.

It is organized as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. A local community board of 15 directors provides direction as to the financial and promotional activities of the program. The board will meet on a monthly basis to evaluate arrests and to decide on the size of rewards to be paid, up to $1,000. Rewards will then be distributed anonymously.

Stephens County TX Crime Stoppers program is funded by private donations and fundraising. To make a tax-deductible contribution to help pay rewards and support advertising and operating expenses, send a check to Stephens County TX Crime Stoppers, 100 E. Elm St., Breckenridge, TX 76424 or go to the website www.877500tips.com and click on the “Donate” button. All money raised will be used solely for local Crime Stoppers tips rewards, local awareness marketing and operating costs.

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