Crimestoppers
The Only Charity Helping To Solve Crime
SEVERAL decades ago, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, there had been a series of murders. The local police were frustrated that there were no tip-offs. The community was tight-lipped with fear. It was clear that they did have ideas about the perpetrator but were too scared of the individual to be caught talking to police. A local policeman came up with the idea of setting up a completely separate phone number and getting the local radio station on board to publicise it. When people were given the chance to report crime without fear, the phones rang off the wall and the murderer was soon caught. Crimestoppers was brought to the UK in 1988 with the same model of partnership between police, community and media. It is not a part of the police; it is an independent registered charity.
Calls are answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week according to protocols and using software governed by Crimestoppers the charity.
• There is no call registration - your phone number does not show on their phone. The software does not allow tracing.
• Calls are not taped.
• You are not asked for your name, address, age.
• Should you reveal your identity, this information goes no further.
• There is no way to register such details.
• The information is passed on to your local Police Force. No police officer will visit nor will anyone ring you back.
• Calls are free even from mobile phones and do not show on itemized bills.
You can call Crimestoppers about any crime. It may be something preying on your conscience or bothering you at the moment. Most likely, you will keep this information and use it in the future. Sometimes you provide the last jigsaw puzzle piece which allows action. Sometimes your information will be the first and no-one can be arrested purely through an anonymous call. In such a case your information will help build the police's file. Dialling Crimestoppers cannot get you a faster response than phoning police. However, it does produce significant results. 449 people were arrested in Grampian/ Highland in 2003 as a result of Crimestoppers calls. 62% of those arrested/ charged as a result of Crimestoppers calls were not known to the police or were not suspected of the crime in question.
Our society will always need people who are willing to stand up and be counted, who will visit a police station, sign a statement, stand up in court. Crimestoppers however is for the 20% of the population who have particular reason to fear retribution or involvement with the criminal justice system.