1)What is Crime Stoppers?
Crime Stoppers is a countywide program geared toward
the fight against crime. It involves the PUBLIC, the MEDIA, and the POLICE.
Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards of up to $1,000
and anonymity to citizens who furnish information leading to the arrest and
indictment of felony offenders.
A Board of Directors, composed of volunteers from
throughout McLean County, manages the Crime Stoppers program. At a monthly
meeting, they determine and approve the rewards to be paid. The amount of a
reward is based on the type of crime and quality of the information provided.
The citizen who furnished the information to Crime Stoppers remains anonymous.
The Board is presented only the facts and the confidential source number
assigned when the call was received. No other identifier is used.
2)Statistics:
Since the inception of McLean County Crime Stoppers:
- 1203 crimes have been solved
- $566,906 in drugs and merchandise have been recovered
- $126,480 in rewards have been paid
- 5709 confidential source numbers have been issued
Crime Stoppers is directly responsible
for:
- 335 captures in the Pantagraph Case of the Week
(created in 1998)
- 84 captures Crime Stopper Hour television series (created in
2001)
- 149 captures due to Wanted posters displayed at the McLean
County Fair (since 1998)
- 90 captures WEEK Fugitives of the Week (since 2001)
- 56 captures from the web site (since April of 2005)
(updated 1-1-06)
3)How can you give information?
McLean County Crime Stoppers pays up to $1,000 cash
for information leading to the arrest and indictment of wanted felony fugitives
from McLean County. All information called into the Crime Stoppers Hotline
remains anonymous. You must contact (309) 828-1111 (available 24 hours a day)
to be eligible for a reward. Tipsters are given a confidential source number
that safeguards their identity. This number is used when the tipster calls at a
later date to verify if their information led to the arrest of the suspect. If
the tip was accurate, a cash reward will be paid by Crime Stoppers Board
members.
4)How is Crime Stoppers funded?
Crime Stoppers is a nonprofit, tax-exempt
organization that is funded primarily by private donations from members of the
public. This includes individuals, corporations, associations, clubs,
retailers, and other organizations. All contributions are tax deductible.
5)Which media organizations support Crime Stoppers?
-
The Pantagraph – Crime of the Week (a fugitive is profiled every Saturday).
-
WJBC (AM 1230) – Case of the Week (a fugitive is profiled every Sunday morning,
during “Sunday Morning with Steve Brienen”).
-
WEEK (Channel 10) – Fugitives of the Week (fugitives are profiled once a month
on Wednesdays during the 10:00pm broadcast).
-
IRock (96.7 FM) – Crimes, fugitives, and public service announcements are
profiled daily.
-
Power 92 (92 FM) - Crimes, fugitives, and public service announcements are
profiled daily.
-
Insight (Channel 5) – The Crime Stopper Hour ( a television program designed to
educate and reduce the vulnerability of citizens to crime and criminal attack.
Various programs are aired weekly).
6)Which community events has Crime Stoppers participated in?
-
Copy Your Kid
-
Operation K.I.D.
-
National Night Out Against Crime
-
McLean County Fair
-
Red Ribbon Week
-
Illinois State University Safety Fair
-
McLean County Christmas Parade
-
McLean County Labor Day Parade