TEXAS CRIME STOPPERS
Texas Association
of Regional Councils
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www.thetexascrimestoppers.org
• For grant info - from home page click on Funding
• To find a Crime Stoppers program in your area - from
home page click on Directory
http://cjd.tamu.edu/
• Public Policy Research Institute at Texas A&M University
• PPRI
http://governor.state.tx.us/cjd/programs/
byron.bullock@governor.state.tx.us
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Statistically crime is actually down in
the nation, according to the latest FBI
2007-2008 statistics.
However, there remains the perception
that crime is increasing, especially in
Texas, due to reported crimes along the
border.
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/08aprelim/table_4ok-wi.html
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•In 1976, Detective Greg MacAleese in
Albuquerque, New Mexico, felt frustrated
that crime in his city was escalating at an
alarming rate: the community appeared
to be apathetic and frightened of
retribution from the criminal element.
•He created an out-of-the-box program
Crime Stoppers, which is now in all 50
states and 24 countries.
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FICTION
TO
FACT
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“Dick Tracy” author, Chester Gould, gave
permission to Detective MacAleese to use
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the name Crime Stoppers.
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Texas Crime Stoppers
This program provides funds for the administration and operation
of local Texas Crime Stoppers programs. Texas Crime Stoppers
programs accept anonymous tips and provide rewards when these
tips lead to indictments and/or convictions. Texas Crime Stoppers
funds a 24-hour toll-free hotline for gathering information on
unsolved crimes and trains local programs. Texas Crime Stoppers
also provides grant funds directly to certified local programs.
The program provides
a partnership
between the public, law enforcement
agencies and the media in order to speed
identification
and
apprehension
of
criminals.
http://governor.state.tx.us/cjd/programs
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Eligible
Applicants:
Crime
Stoppers
organizations as defined by §414.001(2) of
the Texas Government Code that are
certified by the Texas Crime Stoppers
Council to receive repayments under Articles 37.073 and 42.152 of the Texas Code
of Criminal Procedure, or payments from a defendant under Article 42.12 of the Texas Code
of Criminal Procedure. Section 414.001(2) of the Texas Government Code defines a “crime
stoppers organization” as follows:
(1) a private, nonprofit organization that is operated on a local or statewide level, that
accepts and expends donations for rewards to persons who report to the organization
information about criminal activity and that forwards the information to the appropriate law
enforcement agency; or
(2) a public organization that is operated on a local or statewide level, that pays rewards to
persons who report to the organization information about criminal activity, and that forwards
the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
Requirements: Crime Stoppers programs must focus on reducing crime through the
operation of a hotline that receives information about criminal activities and fugitives from
, guarantees anonymity, forwards
information to the appropriate law enforcement agency, and pays rewards.
members
of
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the
public
the
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Restricted Account: Court Fees, used
to pay rewards to tipsters.
Operations Account: 20% of Court
Fees, grant funding, donations and
fundraising money – used to purchase
equipment (e.g. phone services,
computers), pay for travel to training
conferences and promotional items.
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2008 Texas Crime Stoppers Statewide Statistics
Campus programs (public schools, universities)
2,199 cases cleared
1,776 administratively disciplined
$42,302 value of property recovered
$17,885 value of narcotics seized
127 weapons seized – 3 potential Columbine
events were prevented due to Crime Stoppers
Community programs
5,844 suspects arrested
8,256 cases cleared
$5,759,493 value of property recovered
$39,793,540 value of narcotics seized
Consider if Crime Stoppers did not exist?
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Most people report crimes not for the
rewards, they just want live in safe
communities.
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Confused grant applicants?
https://cjdonline.governor.state.tx.us
www.thetexascrimestoppers.org
COG grantee
training sessions
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Answer #1: Crime Stoppers often have
trouble understanding eGrants and should
be invited to all COG grantee training
sessions to learn how the system
works.
Reason:
There is turnover in
many local program boards and
coordinators from one year to the
next and the new board members
are not familiar with eGrants.
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Answer #2:
Local Crime Stoppers
programs in many areas are looking for
other grants (federal, private funds) that
could help them with operational
costs. COG planners may be able
to steer them to other funding
sources and help them with grant
applications.
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Reason for needing other grants:
The Crime Stoppers Assistance Fund is
limited in the amount of dollars collected by
the Comptroller.
Other federal law
enforcement grant sources may be available
to help Crime Stoppers. With the poor
economy, local fund sources may be limited
and Crime Stoppers need assistance in
covering their operational costs, such as
hotlines, purchase of metal street signs,
purchase of equipment to produce wanted
posters, etc.
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Why do local
Crime Stoppers
programs belong
in the community
plans in the
various COG
regions?
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1.They help police and
sheriffs’ offices
solve crimes,
especially cold
cases, and remove
criminals from the
streets.
2.They work in the
schools to help
prevent violence,
curb drug dealing,
and keep children
and faculty safe.
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
Since inception, the Texas Crime Stoppers
program has successfully retrieved close
to a billion dollars in property
recovered and narcotics seized.

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http://cjd.tamu.edu/
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The investment of grant funding,
court fees and volunteer hours
reveals a massive rate of return for
monies and hours invested, and a
huge savings and value to
Texas taxpayers for crimes
prevented, property protected, and
health-care costs avoided.
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