What is Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers?
It is a volunteer organization of local citizens and business people dedicated
to the reduction of crime, to the prompt solution of crimes, and to rewarding
persons who provide information that leads to the arrest of criminals. Boiled
down into simpler terms, Crime Stoppers is a group of concerned people who
gather funds to reward individuals who provide information anonymously to
our police agencies so that they can solve unsolved crimes.
How Does Crime Stoppers Work?
Crime Stoppers utilizes a multimedia approach for solving crime. This approach is designed to gather information about unsolved crimes through the cooperation of all local media. Each week, details concerning a fugitive or unsolved crime are publicized to the local television, newspaper and radio stations. This known as the "Crime of the Week" and could result in a Cash Reward to the individual who supplied the information needed to solve the crime.
What Type of Organization is Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers?
Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers is a non-profit, tax exempt corporation which was founded in 1986 through the efforts of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, Pennsylvania State Police, and citizens of the State. The By-Laws for the organization were adopted in January, 1986.
Why Is Crime Stoppers Different?
The two main reasons people do not give out information are:
- They are afraid of retaliation.
- They don't want to get involved
Crime Stoppers works around these problems by providing a toll-free number which allows callers to remain completely anonymous. Crime Stoppers also adds the incentive of a cash reward whenever the information given leads to an arrest.
Telephone Hotline.
After the media provides the details of the crime of the week, they also
provide a toll-free telephone number for anyone with information to call.
When an individual has information about the crime of the week or other unsolved
crimes, they simply have to pick up the telephone and call the Crime Stoppers
Hotline at 1-800-4-PA-TIPS. The caller is assigned a special code number
with no names given. Instructions are given to call the hotline again at
a later date to find out if the information qualifies for a reward.
How Is The Program Administered
Crime Stoppers is administered by a civilian Board of Directors who have
complete control of the operations of the organization. The board, with advice
from all State law enforcement agencies and primarily the Crime Stoppers
Police Coordinator, will determine the amount of the reward and which informant(s)
merit reward money. (In some cases more than one informant can contribute
to solving a crime.)
How is the Program Funded?
Contributions are being solicited from service organizations, social clubs,
business men-women, corporations, and interested residents.
Crime Stoppers is a non-profit organization under Section 501(C) (3) of the
IRS Code, so all contributions will be tax deductible. Mail Contributions
to :
PA Crime Stoppers,
1800 Elmerton Ave.
Harrisburg, PA 17110
All donations are tax deductible -- Tax ID # 22-2694833