Thanks, mum.
Evening Times
3/27/92
We salute West Memphis Crimestoppers
The Crittenden County Crimestoppers has awarded approximately $30,000 to tipsters, recovered $418,907 in stolen property and confiscated $313,315 worth of narcotics since the organization was formed in July 1985, according to CCC Coordinator Capt. Gary Gitchell.
Funded by private donations only, Crimestoppers pays from $100 to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of an individual believed to have committed a felony crime, explained Gitchell, who is also public information officer with the West Memphis Police Department.
"It only operates on funds donated by organizations and individual citizens," he noted. "Beginning this year, Crimestoppers, as a means of giving recognition to those who make contributions, will give a framed Certificate of Appreciation to organizations or individuals who donate $100 or more.
"This is to further show our appreciation for them taking part in helping solve crime in this community," Gitchell pointed out. "Crimestoppers will also present a plaque each year to the organization or individual donating the most money."
The plaque was awarded recently to the Marion-West Memphis Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5225 which topped the list in 1991 by donating $4,000 to Crimestoppers, the coordinator noted.
He pointed out that West Memphis residents may contribute $1 to Crimestoppers by having that amount designated for the organization, or more if they choose, added to their utility bills each month.
"Even though a dollar is small amount [sic], it can add up when you have a lot of people participating," Gitchell explained. "That's a big help, and it's another outlet where people can donate. The program has gone well, but the contributions have decreased a little."
The latest monthly total received through the utility bill program was $554, he said. "We urge people to give just $1," the coordinator added. "That will add up and make a difference with a lot of people taking part.
"Crimestoppers is only successful because the citizens are involved," he declared. "When you've got a population of 30,000 people, their eyes and ears on criminal activity, that's much better than one or two police officers having to try to watch for what's going on."
Tipsters calling 732-4444 always remain anonymous, he stressed. "Their identification is strictly protected," he added. "We don't want to know who they are."
Gitchell pointed out that the amount of reward money given to a caller or a tipster is determined by the Crimestoppers Reward Committee, a group of "ordinary" individuals who are on Crimestoppers board of directors. The committee decides how helpful a tipster's information is, what risks a tipster took to supply the information and the severity of the crime.
"Remarkably," the Crimestoppers coordinator noted, "many people call in and don't want any money. In some cases, they just want something [criminal activity] stopped. Crimestoppers is a way of doing that. It allows them that avenue.
"They use it as a means of getting information to the police," he explained. "This solves all the questions of why people don't want to get involved. A lot of times a caller just wants to help a person, stop him from doing something before he gets involved in something more serious."
The reward is given to a tipster in various ways, Gitchell said. "Actually, it's anyway the tipster wants," he explained. "Almost 100 percent of them prefer to get it from the police station. When a person calls, he is given a code number. I do not ask his name or anything else about him. The only line of contact we have after the first call is if the tipster calls us."
He pointed out that a crime does not have to be "an advertised" one (in the newspaper or on television) in order for a tipster to call CCC. "It could be something that a person already knows or has information about," he said.
The local organization is a member of Crimestoppers International, Gitchell pointed out, and there are approximately 850 crime stoppers organizations in the U.S., Canada, England and Australia. Internationally, he pointed out, $2 billion in stolen property has been recovered by crime stoppers organizations.
"Nationwide," he said, "the same type of success stories are reported by crime stoppers organizations."
Gitchell pointed out that local merchants have also helped make the CCC what it is today, and he has been asked to speak before such groups as well as others to explain what CCC is all about.
"I'm always willing to go and talk about Crimestoppers," he explained. "All merchants and organizations are free to call me, and I'll do that. A lot of people out there don't know what Crimestoppers does.
"I must say that Crimestoppers does appreciate all the work the Evening Times has done in getting the information out," Gitchell added. "Without that help, we could not have done what we have done."
As proof that crime stoppers is rated high in popularity throughout the nation, Gitchell pointed to the fact that President George Bush, the U.S. Attorney General and the FBI director were speakers during a recent crime stoppers conference in Louisville, Ky. Gitchell noted that the crime stoppers theory was introduced in 1976 by Greg Maraleese, a detective with the Albuquerque, N. Mex. Police Department.
- Text by Lenice Watkins
Photo: Captain Gary Gitchell
The Merchants Below Commend Captain Gitchell For The Fine Work Accomplished By Him & The Crimestoppers Staff.
(list cut off)
scan:
home.comcast.net/~wm3file...tchell.jpg
Evening Times
3/27/92
We salute West Memphis Crimestoppers
The Crittenden County Crimestoppers has awarded approximately $30,000 to tipsters, recovered $418,907 in stolen property and confiscated $313,315 worth of narcotics since the organization was formed in July 1985, according to CCC Coordinator Capt. Gary Gitchell.
Funded by private donations only, Crimestoppers pays from $100 to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of an individual believed to have committed a felony crime, explained Gitchell, who is also public information officer with the West Memphis Police Department.
"It only operates on funds donated by organizations and individual citizens," he noted. "Beginning this year, Crimestoppers, as a means of giving recognition to those who make contributions, will give a framed Certificate of Appreciation to organizations or individuals who donate $100 or more.
"This is to further show our appreciation for them taking part in helping solve crime in this community," Gitchell pointed out. "Crimestoppers will also present a plaque each year to the organization or individual donating the most money."
The plaque was awarded recently to the Marion-West Memphis Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5225 which topped the list in 1991 by donating $4,000 to Crimestoppers, the coordinator noted.
He pointed out that West Memphis residents may contribute $1 to Crimestoppers by having that amount designated for the organization, or more if they choose, added to their utility bills each month.
"Even though a dollar is small amount [sic], it can add up when you have a lot of people participating," Gitchell explained. "That's a big help, and it's another outlet where people can donate. The program has gone well, but the contributions have decreased a little."
The latest monthly total received through the utility bill program was $554, he said. "We urge people to give just $1," the coordinator added. "That will add up and make a difference with a lot of people taking part.
"Crimestoppers is only successful because the citizens are involved," he declared. "When you've got a population of 30,000 people, their eyes and ears on criminal activity, that's much better than one or two police officers having to try to watch for what's going on."
Tipsters calling 732-4444 always remain anonymous, he stressed. "Their identification is strictly protected," he added. "We don't want to know who they are."
Gitchell pointed out that the amount of reward money given to a caller or a tipster is determined by the Crimestoppers Reward Committee, a group of "ordinary" individuals who are on Crimestoppers board of directors. The committee decides how helpful a tipster's information is, what risks a tipster took to supply the information and the severity of the crime.
"Remarkably," the Crimestoppers coordinator noted, "many people call in and don't want any money. In some cases, they just want something [criminal activity] stopped. Crimestoppers is a way of doing that. It allows them that avenue.
"They use it as a means of getting information to the police," he explained. "This solves all the questions of why people don't want to get involved. A lot of times a caller just wants to help a person, stop him from doing something before he gets involved in something more serious."
The reward is given to a tipster in various ways, Gitchell said. "Actually, it's anyway the tipster wants," he explained. "Almost 100 percent of them prefer to get it from the police station. When a person calls, he is given a code number. I do not ask his name or anything else about him. The only line of contact we have after the first call is if the tipster calls us."
He pointed out that a crime does not have to be "an advertised" one (in the newspaper or on television) in order for a tipster to call CCC. "It could be something that a person already knows or has information about," he said.
The local organization is a member of Crimestoppers International, Gitchell pointed out, and there are approximately 850 crime stoppers organizations in the U.S., Canada, England and Australia. Internationally, he pointed out, $2 billion in stolen property has been recovered by crime stoppers organizations.
"Nationwide," he said, "the same type of success stories are reported by crime stoppers organizations."
Gitchell pointed out that local merchants have also helped make the CCC what it is today, and he has been asked to speak before such groups as well as others to explain what CCC is all about.
"I'm always willing to go and talk about Crimestoppers," he explained. "All merchants and organizations are free to call me, and I'll do that. A lot of people out there don't know what Crimestoppers does.
"I must say that Crimestoppers does appreciate all the work the Evening Times has done in getting the information out," Gitchell added. "Without that help, we could not have done what we have done."
As proof that crime stoppers is rated high in popularity throughout the nation, Gitchell pointed to the fact that President George Bush, the U.S. Attorney General and the FBI director were speakers during a recent crime stoppers conference in Louisville, Ky. Gitchell noted that the crime stoppers theory was introduced in 1976 by Greg Maraleese, a detective with the Albuquerque, N. Mex. Police Department.
- Text by Lenice Watkins
Photo: Captain Gary Gitchell
The Merchants Below Commend Captain Gitchell For The Fine Work Accomplished By Him & The Crimestoppers Staff.
(list cut off)
scan:
home.comcast.net/~wm3file...tchell.jpg
