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The first Crime Stoppers program began in September 1976 in Albuquerque, New Mexico and has since spread to include over 1,000 cities and 13 countries worldwide. A group of concerned citizens formed the San Jose Crime Stoppers, Inc., a nonprofit organization, in September 1982. The mission of Crime Stoppers is simple, to work with law enforcement and the media to help make our communities a safer place in which to live.
The Board of Directors oversees the program and is responsible for fundraising and reward payments. The full board meets the third Monday of every month while frequent all-volunteer committee meetings are held to carry out the policies set by the Board of Directors. On August 17, 2000 San Jose Crime Stoppers changed their name to Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers to better reflect the new expanded program and partnership with all of the law enforcement agencies in Santa Clara County, as well as the Santa Clara District Attorney’s office, the California Highway Patrol and the Sheriff’s department.
Officer Raul Martinez of the San José Police Department is currently designated as the Police Coordinator for the program, working closely with the board and acting as the primary liaison between the board, the media and the Police Department. He works with the three entities to select and publicize a “Crime of the Week”, published every week in newspapers and radio. He then takes the anonymous tips phoned in on the Crime Stoppers Tip line and refers the information to the proper investigative agency. The coordinator is also the board's expert on police and law enforcement activities. The Police Coordinator is also responsible for recommending reward payments of up to $1,000 dollars for information which lead to arrest of wanted or featured criminals.
The key to a successful program begins and ends with the citizens in the community. Crime Stoppers is a partnership among the community, it's Police Departments, and the local media. The Crime Stoppers reward fund is comprised of tax-deductible donations from service groups, businesses, and private citizens collected through annual fund-raisers and individual donations. Crime Stoppers is not funded in any way by federal, state and local agencies. Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers hosts two annual events; it’s annual fund-raising golf tournament and a recognition dinner for police officers.
The effectiveness of the program has been staggering. Over 600,000 major crimes have been solved throughout the world as a direct result of calls to Crime Stoppers. Perhaps even more impressive is the Crime Stopper’s court Record. Of 80,349 defendants tried in court on Crime Stoppers related cases nationwide, 78,470 were convicted, a 97.7% conviction rate.
Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers has been responsible for clearing nearly 700 cases since its inception in 1982. Nearly 6 million dollars in property has been recovered, and over 5 million dollars in narcotics have been seized as a result of the tips received by Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers.
If you would like more information about the Crime Stoppers program, please call Officer Raul Martinez, the program coordinator at (408) 277-4133. If you wish to leave information concerning criminal activity call the Crime Stoppers Anonymous Tip Line (408) 947-STOP (7867) or visit
www.tipsubmit.com.
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