Crime doesn’t pay, but helping law enforcement fight crime through the CrimeStoppers program does.
The Union Rotary Club recently presented Union County Sheriff David Taylor with a check for $500 for the CrimeStoppers program. The money will be used to help pay rewards to people who provide law enforcement with information through the program that leads to the arrest and conviction of persons engaging in criminal activity in Union County.
“This is an opportunity for Rotarians as a group to support CrimeStoppers,” Rotary Club President Frank Hart said. “It’s a great program that really benefits the community. We support it as a club and many Rotarians support it with individual donations.”
Taylor thanked the club for its ongoing support of the program.
“We appreciate it very much,” Taylor said. “It is not the first time they’ve donated to us. We are always grateful when someone steps up and supports our CrimeStoppers program as the Rotary Club has done over the years. Rotary is one of the top organizations to donate funds to us for use for CrimeStoppers.”
Taylor told Rotarians that the money would be used to help pay rewards to persons who provide tips that enable his office and other local law enforcement agencies to solve crimes and arrest those who committed them as well as recover stolen property and/or seize illicit items such as drugs. He said 2011 had been a very successful year for the program which resulted in:
• 283 tips received
• 66 arrests made
• 115 warrants served
• $17,000 in stolen property recovered
• $1,000 worth of illicit items seized
• 61 reward checks totaling $3,925 paid out
Taylor said the success achieved through the program in 2011 has continued into 2012. As of May of this year, Taylor said CrimeStoppers had received a total of 89 tips resulting in:
• 16 arrests
• 48 warrants served
• $500 worth of drugs seized
• 17 reward checks totaling $1,225 paid out
For the 17-month period ending in May, the CrimeStoppers program resulted in a total of $4,200 in rewards paid out for tips resulting in a total of 82 arrests, $1,500 in drugs and other illicit items seized, and $17,000 in stolen property recovered.
Taylor pointed out that none of those who provided the tips that resulted in those arrests, seizures and recoveries had to give their names when they provided that information to CrimeStoppers. He said the system is designed to protect the anonymity of those who provide those tips, beginning with the CrimeStoppers phone number itself (427-0800). While it has a 427 prefix like many numbers in Union, Taylor said it is not a local number, that all calls made on that number go to a call center in Columbia.
When the call is made, Taylor said all the person calling has to do is provide the information they believe will assist law enforcement in solving a crime and arresting those who commit it. Each caller is given a special number so that, if their tip results in an arrest, they can collect their reward money from the bank without revealing their identity. From beginning to end, Taylor said the system protects the identity of those providing the tips. In addition to protecting the identity of those providing tips, Taylor said the system’s guarantee of anonymity is also designed to encourage others to provide tips to law enforcement through CrimeStoppers.
Anyone wanting to make a donation to the CrimeStoppers program should send their donations to 135 W. Main St., Union.
If you have information about criminal activity call CrimeStoppers at 427-0800.
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