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 Press Release
| NO. 2003-143
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Release # 143 Tuesday, December 16, 2003 |  | |
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Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly And New York City Police Foundation President Pamela Delaney Announce That The Crime Stoppers Program Will Give Away Its Millionth Dollar |
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New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly
and New York City Police Foundation President Pamela Delaney announced today
that the groundbreaking Crime Stoppers program will give away its millionth
dollar. This landmark comes right after the program recorded twenty years of
operation. After several months of planning, Crime Stoppers was officially launched on August 15, 1983. The first call the fledgling program received regarded the kidnapping of 10-year-old Etan Patz. At the time, the reward for any information leading to an arrest was $500. Twenty years later, Crime Stoppers has grown from those humble beginnings of a $500 reward offer to giving away a total of one million dollars to concerned New Yorkers who strive to make the city safer. Today, individual rewards can reach as much as $2000. Crime Stoppers can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 1-800-577-TIPS. The New York City Police Foundation's role is to fund and distribute the rewards, coordinate efforts to raise public awareness of Crime Stoppers and seek and accept donations to support the program. The not-for-profit Police Foundation is the only charity authorized by the New York City Police Department to collect money on its behalf. "Crime Stoppers has made an enormous difference in the apprehension of criminals in New York City," said Commissioner Kelly. "In October of this year alone, we received more than 1,407 calls, arrested 9 suspects and cleared 13 cases. Magnify these astounding results over 20 years and you can see the dramatic impact Crime Stoppers has had in reducing crime. The Police Department is very grateful to the New York City Police Foundation for their dedication to raising money that helps to make Crime Stoppers a success." The statistics clearly underscore the success of Crime Stoppers. Since the program's inception, the following crimes have been solved: * 772 murders (which is more than three percent of all murders committed during that time period); * 205 attempted murders; * 1,279 robberies. Crime Stoppers has received a total of 253,466 calls, which has led to the arrests of 2,178 suspects and the clearance of 3,580 cases. In addition, Crime Stoppers recovered narcotics with a total value of $15,516,359 and the Police Department recommended 1,724 cash rewards. "Crime Stoppers has proven its value time and time again in the 20 years since its inception," said Pamela Delaney, President of the New York City Police Foundation. "Its success is due not only to motivated citizens who are eager to help solve crimes, but to the generosity of our donors, who have helped us give away one million dollars since Crime Stoppers was born. We thank all of them, as does New York City." The millionth dollar will be awarded to the caller who provided information that led police to the apprehension and indictment of Russell James, 28, who was arrested on charges that he stabbed a man to death in the Bronx in 1996. "Crime Stoppers is living proof that the people of New York City are like the New York City Police Department - deeply concerned about their quality of life and getting criminals off the street," said Gregg Roberts, Executive Vice President of the Police Foundation. "Crime Stoppers is a fantastic example of what effective public/private partnerships can achieve." The cash rewards distributed by the Police Foundation are always received anonymously. Callers do not reveal their names. Instead, they receive a code number that can be redeemed at a bank for cash rewards. Founded in 1971, the New York City Police Foundation is an independent organization dedicated to strengthening the Police Department and promoting public safety in New York City. Through the support of individuals, businesses and philanthropies, the Foundation has been able to invest over $40 million in police projects to help the Police Department improve the quality of its service to the public. | |
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