If you haven’t already heard, I’m very happy to share the
news that anonymous tipsters can now be rewarded with up to $2,000 for
submitting information that leads to an arrest in a felony crime.
Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers announced this change last
week. Since the organization’s founding in 1982, the largest amount a tipster
could receive was $1,000. (Supplemental rewards are still available. This is
when a victim’s family or friends raise money for additional reward money in
their loved one’s case.)
Ideally, everyone would tell police any information they
have about a crime. But many people in our community don’t do that. Our
department is working to build the trust to open up the lines of communication.
But there are some who are genuinely scared of the repercussions they might
face from their social circle if they’re seen providing information to police.
That’s where the TIPS Hotline, 816-474-TIPS, is so valuable. It allows
residents to submit information anonymously.
Tipsters are issued a code number when they first call in
with a tip (or when they submit it by text message or online). They call back
with their code number to see whether their tip has led to an arrest, and if
so, they are issued the reward in cash. Then entire process is anonymous.
The reward money provides a good incentive to those who
might otherwise be reluctant to call. And now there’s double the incentive. I’d
like to thank the generous donors who support Crime Stoppers. They have made
this $2,000 reward possible. Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers has cleared
more than 24,070 felony cases in their three-plus decades, including 609
homicides. They’ve paid out more than $1.27 million in rewards. The TIPS
Hotline is an invaluable resource for our detectives, and I look forward to the
doubled amount of reward money bringing in even more tips.
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