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A local group of business and civic leaders have established Macon County
Crime Stoppers, a non-profit corporation, to assist local law enforcement agencies. The Board of
Directors of Macon County Crime Stoppers are Chairman: Sam Fiske of Smoky Mountain Systems,
Vice Chairman: Bryan Rauers of Franklin Ford, Treasurer: Jim Garner of Wayah Insurance, Secretary:
John O’Conner of the Macon /Jackson Fraternal Order of Police, Public Relations:
Donald Holland of Holland Car Wash.
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What is Crime Stoppers?
Crime Stoppers began in Albuquerque, New Mexico in September of 1976.
Members of the local community, in partnership with the media and law enforcement,
began an effort to provide crime-solving assistance to law enforcement.
A cash reward was offered to anonymous persons who telephone the Crime Stoppers
hotline with information which led to the arrest and indictment of the person(s)
responsible for felony offenses.
The Crime Stoppers program has enjoyed great success boasting an average
conviction rate of 95% on cases solved by Crime Stopper’s tips. The Crime
Stoppers programs worldwide have solved over a half million crimes and
recovered over 3 billion dollars worth of stolen property and narcotics.
Today there are over 1,000 Crime Stoppers programs in the Untied States,
Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Bahamas, British West Indies,
Micronesia, and other nations.
Why do we need Crime Stoppers?
Crime Stoppers is based on the principal that "Someone other than the criminal has information
that can solve a crime" and was created to combat the three major problems faced by law
enforcement in generating that information:
- Fear of REPRISAL
- An attitude of APATHY
- Reluctant to get INVOLVED
Crime Stoppers resolves these problems by:
- Offering ANONYMITY to people who provide information about crimes.
- Paying REWARDS when the information supplied leads to an arrest.
Three essential elements make up a Crime Stopper Program:
- THE COMMUNITY
Citizens are responsible for forming a Crime Stoppers non-profit corporation, whose
directors establish policy, determine amount and method of reward payments, work closely
with law enforcement and the media and generally oversee the program. The directors
are also responsible for fund raising, and all volunteer service. Tax money is not sought.
- THE MEDIA
Crime Stoppers methods, objectives, successes and phone numbers are publicized on a
regular basis by the media. Unsolved crimes are given special treatment with details
published in newspapers, on radio and in certain cases a re-enactment on television.
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
A special Crime Stoppers phone with a well-publicized number is provided to the community.
Callers are assigned a special code and are never required to give their names.
If, after the investigation, the information leads to an arrest, the caller is entitled
to a reward.
How Macon County Crime Stoppers will work:
The Macon County Crime Stoppers Board of Directors oversees the program and approves all
rewards based upon the information presented by the MCCS Coordinator. When an anonymous
call is received by Crime Stoppers, it is documented by date and time and a brief summary
of the information provided by the caller. The caller is then given a secret code and
asked to call back in a few days. The secret code is then used as a means of identifying
which case a caller is referring to each time they call back. With the use of this secret
code the caller will be able to check on the status of the investigation that they provided
information for. The caller’s only requirement to do so will be to remember their secret
code and to collect their reward if an arrest is made. After an arrest, the apprehension
of a fugitive, or the recovery of stolen property or illegal drugs is made, the Board of
Directors will vote on the reward and the amount. The Board will base their determination
on what significance the information provided to MCCS by the caller assisted in the
investigation. Arrangements will then be made between MCCS and the caller to pick up
their reward. The caller will then be given a designated and secure location to receive
their CASH reward and will continue to remain completely anonymous as always.
Macon County Crime Stoppers will be soliciting donations from businesses and individuals
throughout the local community. Solicitation will be done in person and never by
telephone or by mail. All donations are tax deductible. Tax money is not sought.
The Macon County Crime Stoppers is associated with the Southeastern Crime Stoppers
Association, which consists of Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina,
Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, DC.
Macon County Crime Stoppers will have an office on the third floor of the Macon County
Courthouse located at 5 West Main Street, Franklin, North Carolina.
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