Who is Crime Stoppers?

Crime Stoppers is composed of three main groups: volunteer civilian board members, the police and the media. Without all three, the program would not work. Crime Stoppers is administered by the citizen board but the police are necessary to investigate the information received and the media are necessary to create awareness and promote the program. Crime Stoppers board members are not privy to specific details of tips and police investigations but are briefed with enough case history to make an informed decision as to the amount of the reward which should be paid.

Who Can Get Involved?

Volunteers also play an integral role in Crime Stoppers: in committees, helping with projects, attending events, helping sell items or tickets, working on special events and providing person power or expertise.

If you are interested in becoming involved with the North Okanagan / Shuswap Crime Stoppers click here.

How did Crime Stoppers begin?

In July 1976, in Albuquerque New Mexico, a university student was killed during a gas station robbery. After 6 weeks of investigation the police had very few leads as to who was responsible. Police investigators thought that if the public was able to observe a reenactment of the crime on television this may lead to a citizen providing information that may lead to an arrest. The police investigators were right. A caller contacted the police Department the next day after seeing the reenactment. The tip information was enough to lead the police to the two men who were responsible. Within 72 hours of the reenactment being aired, the police had solved the murder. This was the beginning of Crime Stoppers. Since the program started, there are now more than 950 Crime Stoppers programs worldwide. More than 425,000 crimes have been solved since its inception and over $1 billion worth of stolen property and narcotics have been seized.