Crime Stoppers pays
<p>Between Dec. 1 and Dec. 3, a couple of grand-theft suspects, a man and a woman, stole credit card information to re-load Visa gift cards that were purchased from a Safeway supermarket, 1001 N. Fourth St. in Coeur d'Alene. The two used the gift cards to purchase $2,500 worth of items.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - The tipsters get paid when the crook gets arrested and charged. And the tipster remains anonymous, so there's no fear of reprisal. It's that easy.
Crime Stoppers of the Inland Northwest, which mostly covers Kootenai and Spokane counties, wrapped up 2010 with a whopping 795 tips that solved 33 cases and earned tipsters more than $3,400 in cash rewards. Rewards totaling more than $3,900 were approved, but some of the cash was never collected by tipsters.
Tom Keyser, a volunteer board member for Crime Stoppers, said, "(Police) definitely see the value in paying for the tips."
Keyser is the chairman of the board and retired law officer who lives in Kootenai County.
"We're here to help solve crime," he said.
Crime Stoppers pays tipsters cash for information helpful to law-enforcement agencies, seeking to overcome two elements that it says inhibit public involvement in crime solving: Fear and apathy.
Maj. Ben Wolfinger of the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department said Crime Stoppers serves a great support role.
"They are able to not only help us publicize a crime, but do what we cannot do, and that is offer cash incentives for providing the valuable information necessary to often times solve crimes or apprehend fugitives," Wolfinger said. "We appreciate the support that our communities give through the Crime Stoppers program."
Tipsters can remain anonymous, and collect the cash if the information shared leads to the solution of a crime, an arrest or a grand jury indictment of a felony offender. All information is confidential.
It is a local nonprofit made up of volunteers, relying on tax-deductible contributions from the public. No tax dollars are involved. It is part of the larger Crime Stoppers USA and Crime Stoppers International.
Crime Stoppers takes a three-part approach to solving crime. It relies on cooperation between the police, the media, and the general community to provide a flow of information about crime and criminals.
Calls to Crime Stoppers are handled by 911 operators, though the conversations are not recorded, Keyser said. Tipsters in Kootenai County meet a Crime Stoppers representative at a bank to pick up the cash reward. In Spokane, tipsters pick up the cash at an accounting firm.
Calls to Crime Stoppers can be made at: (800) 222-TIPS, or (509) 327-5111, or (208) 667-2111.
Mail can be sent to Crime Stoppers of the Inland Northwest at PO Box 1205, Spokane, 99210.
Information: www.crimestoppersinlandnorthwest.org