ABOUT THE CRIME STOPPERS PROGRAM
The first Crime Stoppers program began in 1976 in Albuquerque, New Mexico as a result of the homicide of a young gas station attendant. The detective investigating the case had exhausted all leads but was convinced the public had the information that could assist in solving the crime. He approached a local television station asking them to air a reenactment of the
crime. He set up an anonymous tip line and offered a reward for information leading to an arrest. As a result, the detective received the tip that led to the arrest of the individuals responsible for this senseless crime.The cooperation between the media, law enforcement and the public played an important role in establishing the first Crime Stoppers program. Today, there are over 1200 Crime Stoppers organizations worldwide. was formed in January of 2001 to better serve the citizens of Pinellas County in the fight against crime. The Board of Directors is made up of a cross section of concerned citizens that meet on a monthly basis to approve reward amounts, promote community awareness of the program and conduct fundraisers. The Crime Stoppers Project Administrator oversees the daily program operations and coordinates the efforts of the community, law enforcement and the media in a unified attempt to reduce crime in Pinellas County.
