Introduction

All effective law enforcement programs require the concern, active participation, and cooperation of the citizenry to succeed. No matter how well organized, equipped, energetic, or highly motivated a law enforcement agency may be, it can not function effectively without the cooperation and involvement of its community. Without cooperation and involvement, any crime prevention or crime reduction program is doomed to fail.

The police, working apart from the community, cannot be effective in combating crime. Neither can, nor should, the community expect, the police to be successful in solving of crime unless the members of the community, both individually and collectively, take an active and willing part in the solution of serious crime. All too often, citizens with information about a serious crime choose not to get involved. They do not come forward to police with the information, even though it could lead to the solution.

There are many reasons for the public's empathy when it comes to aiding police in the investigation of a crime. In some cases, the citizen does not come forward with useful information because they mistakenly believe that what they know about the crime is unimportant or is already known by the police. In other cases, the citizen may lack the knowledge of how or whom to contact in the police organization.

In many cases, citizens do not come forward with information for fear of reprisal from the criminal and are consequently fearful of revealing their own true identity. Whatever the reason for this lack of involvement, it became necessary for a program or vehicle to be designed that addresses these reasons and encourages the citizen involvement. It was with this in mind that the "Crime Stoppers" program was developed.

Crime Stoppers is a program geared toward public involvement in the fight against crime. It provides an avenue which permits and encourages citizens to contribute to the safety of their community. Crime Stoppers is designed to achieve citizen interest and involvement utilizing two methods:

• The dramatic re-enactment of an unsolved "Crime of the Week" on television, radio and print media
• The establishment of a reward system which pays for information leading to the arrest and indictment of anyone involved in serious crimes
  

Through the Crime Stoppers program, citizens become aware of the real impact of crime on the community and are continually encouraged to come forward with information that might aid in the solution of crimes. When people are motivated, for whatever reason, to assist police, their effectiveness increases while the opportunity for the criminal to escape detection decreases.