Crime Stoppers International

Crimestoppers International is an umbrella organisation to establish guidelines and maintain consistency for Crimestoppers programmes worldwide.

Crimestoppers International is operated by a volunteer Board of Directors from these worldwide Crimestoppers' programmes.

Our vision

Our mission is to develop Crime Stoppers as an effective crime-solving organisation throughout the world, by bringing together the community, law enforcement and the media to work together to solve crime. We have a vision to create a safe, secure world, through justice, for our children and our children's children.

How did the Crime Stoppers concept begin?

The Crime Stoppers' concept started in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 1976, a university student working part-time on a late shift at a petrol station was killed during a robbery. Six weeks of intensive police enquiries failed to reveal any information although the detective on the case felt sure the criminals were local, as there had been a series of similar robberies in the area.

Detective Greg MacAleese sought to put up a cash reward provided by local businesses, for information leading to the capture of the gang. The detective then went on TV to do a reconstruction. However, in a break from tradition, Detective MacAleese offered a $1,000 cash reward, but stressed “the caller would remain anonymous”. Within 72 hours, a vehicle used during the robbery was identified and subsequently two men were arrested, charged and convicted of the murder and robbery.

The American detective recognised there was potential to develop a scheme covering other types of serious crime, and ran it for six months as a trial. In the meantime, other US police forces started to enquire about the ‘Crime Stoppers' scheme, and word spread across the United States and later into Canada.

This dynamic concept has since been adopted further afield in the United Kingdom and other European countries, the Caribbean, Latin America, the South-Western Pacific and Australia.

Crime Stoppers Regions

What makes a Crime Stoppers programme?

Three essential elements make up a Crime Stoppers Programme: community, the media and law enforcement.

Community - citizens are responsible for forming a Crime Stoppers non-profit corporation, whose directors establish policy, determine amount and method of reward payments, work closely with law enforcement and the media and generally oversee the programme. The directors are also responsible for fundraising, and all volunteer service. The programme is supported by the public through tax deductible donations from businesses, corporations, individuals, and service organisations.

Media - Crime Stoppers is publicised 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, drugs activity, wanted criminals, and suspected terrorist and gang activity.

Law enforcement - local law enforcement agencies receive and process the anonymous tips received through Crime Stoppers, and solve the crimes. If the information leads to an arrest, the caller will be paid a reward.

International Success

The Crime Stoppers concept is unique and follows a simple formula – a telephone number for people to give information anonymously. There is no comparable organisation offering this ‘safe' means of passing on intelligence to the police.

That this formula works is undeniable – the results speak for themselves. On the following pages each region outlines its successes and achievements for 2007 and some since inception, sharing best practice to the advantage of all its partner programmes to achieve a common goal.

Striking statistics:

• Crime Stoppers Canada is expecting to reach a historic milestone in 2008 - total recoveries of stolen property and drugs seized will reach $3billion
• In the USA a total of $1,014,354,090 of stolen property has been recovered (as of 28 March 2008)
• The Netherlands witnessed a 19% rise in tips in 2007
• Crime Stoppers volunteers in Australia have answered 983,585 calls
• In the early summer of 2008 Crimestoppers UK received its one millionth actionable call
• $2,420,435 worth of illegal drugs seized in the Western Pacific since 1989 with the help of Crime Stoppers

CSI Executive Committee

Gary Murphy, President
Steve Walrath, Immediate Past President
Michael Gordon-Gibson, Vice President
Glen Bailey, Treasurer
Ralph Page, Secretary

Visit the Crime Stoppers' International website to find out more about Crimestoppers International.

Download the Crime Stoppers International Annual Review 2007