History
How it all began.
Crime Stoppers was started in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1976 when a young, Canadian born Albuquerque police detective had reached a dead end in a particularly brutal homicide investigation. Frustrated by the lack of clues, he appealed to a local television station and enlisted their co-operation in a ninety-second re-enactment of the crime. The re-enactment was televised during a portion of a news broadcast. The detective offered a cash reward from his own pocket. Within twenty-four hours, arrests had been made as a direct result of the televised re-enactment.
So successful was this first effort, that the program was subsequently enlarged, refined and has come to be known as "Crime Stoppers International".
Today there are some 1,200 Crime Stoppers programs in communities around the world that take tips to assist investigators to solve crimes including homicides, sexual assaults, drug trafficking operations and robberies, just to name a few. Programs have also received information that has prevented school shooting and criminal acts by terrorist organizations.
At least a hundred (100) of these programs are in Canada, and their numbers continue to grow. In Ontario there are 38 active programs. Crime Stoppers of Hamilton is the first Ontario Program.
Not many people know this but the word “Crime” and “Stopper” were combined many years ago by the late Chester Gould, creator of the Dick Tracy comic strips. In 1947, Mr. Gould introduced “Crimestoppers”, using Junior, Dick Tracy’s adopted son, to form a detective club to help kids stay out of trouble. Two years later the “Crimestoppers Textbook”, with tips for children about safety, finding clues and crime prevention, became a weekly feature at the top of each Sunday edition of the comic strip.
The word Crime Stopper or Crime Stoppers means something special to those who are associated with this rewarding program.
Crime Stoppers is not a new concept in reporting crime. It simply promotes more dramatically an investigative tool used by successful investigators for centuries.
Basically, Crime Stoppers is an investigative tool relying equally on the co-operation of the police force, the news media and the community. It is a program designed to encourage people from all walks of life to call Crime Stoppers with information to solve serious crimes already committed, or those about to occur. Crime Stoppers offers total anonymity to the caller and a cash reward, if the information leads to an arrest.
If Crime Stoppers is to be successful, the co-operation of the news media, especially television, must be enlisted. In most Crime Stoppers programs, they are eager to assist.
Besides regular promotion of Crime Stoppers, the program is dependent on television in a weekly, sixty-second re-enactment of a specially chosen crime with which the Police have had difficulty in solving. Radio and newspaper media are also expected to run a narrative of the same crime coinciding with the television release. A reward up to $2,000 is offered for information leading to an arrest.
What is Crime Stoppers?
Started in 1983, Crime Stoppers of Hamilton is a community run program involving a partnership between the police, the media and the community, “working together to help solve crime” It is a non-profit organization whose purpose is the detection, apprehension and conviction of criminals, the recovery of stolen property and the seizure of illicit drugs.
Members of the public are encouraged to provide information that may assist law enforcement agencies to solve crime through the offer of rewards and the guarantee of anonymity. Information provided to Crime Stoppers is not traceable back to the person who provided it. Once received, it is passed on to the proper authorities. If the information leads to a positive outcome, the person who provided the information will be eligible for a cash reward, which is paid anonymously. The amount of the award depends upon the significance of the information and severity of the crime. You NEVER have to reveal your identity!
When you call our direct line 1 800 222 TIPS (8477), you will be assigned a special code number which you will identify yourself with in all future dealings with Crime Stoppers. Your call will not be traced nor recorded. You cannot be called to testify in court as no one will know who you are – not even Crime Stoppers.
CRIME STOPPERS DOES NOT SUBSCRIBE TO CALL DISPLAY.
Cash Reward
Unlike other reward programs which require “arrest and conviction” before paying for information, Crime Stoppers pays once the information leads to an arrest of the suspect(s) or a positive outcome. Your cash reward will be passed on to you anonymously after you identify yourself by using the special code assigned to you. Crime Stoppers is NOT a police program so who operates Crime Stoppers?
Crime Stoppers is run by a volunteer Board of Directors comprised of a group of concerned citizens. The Board administers the fund for reward payments and is responsible for fundraising efforts. Money raised by the Board comes from community events and sponsorship by local citizens and businesses.
Help us to make our city a safer place to live, consider a corporate or personal tax-deductible donation by contacting our administration office at 905 546 4808 or 905 546 3813, or complete the donation form on this website
Together, we can all make a difference.
