The answer is quite simply, yes!
Since the start of Crime Stoppers, millions of tips have been received resulting in hundreds of thousands of arrests including murder, robbery, rape, assaults, firearm offenses, and the recovery of substantial amounts of stolen property.
Crime Stoppers is a partnership between the Community, the Media and Law Enforcement and is publicized on a regular basis by all media outlets including print, broadcast and web-based partners. Special attention is given to unsolved crime re-enactments, “Crimes of the Week”, cold cases, narcotics activity, wanted fugitives, and suspected terrorist and gang activity.
The success of a Crime Stoppers program cannot be purely judged on statistics; however, other benefits have come to notice:
- A greater awareness in the community that there is a crime problem.
- A willingness by the community to fight back against crime if it is given the opportunity and motivation.
- Improved relationships between police, media, and the community.
Crime Stoppers is definitely here to stay. It has been accepted by law enforcement as a valid and effective investigative tool and the public, through its overwhelming response, appears to have accepted it as a more palatable alternative to traditional methods of giving information. Despite many programs offering rewards of up to $3,000, many tipsters choose not to collect their rewards.