Crimestoppers logo

A (501) C 3 Non-Profit Organization

Tri-County
Crime Stoppers
of Minnesota, Inc.

Serving Central Minnesota

Crimestoppers logo

P.O. Box 545 St. Cloud, MN 56302-0545
St. Cloud Area: 255-1301
Outside St. Cloud: 1-800-255-1301

phone iconAbout Crime Stoppers

phone iconHow To Report / Collect

phone iconOpen Cases

Downloadable Posters

phone iconSpecial Alerts

phone iconSpecial Reward Cases

phone iconLinks to Important Sites

phone iconSupporters

phone iconSupporter Links

Crime Prevention Tips

 

About Crime Stoppers

History of Crime Stoppers | Composition of Crime Stoppers | Represented Agencies | The Tri-County Crime Stoppers Board | Speakers Bureau | Facts and Statistics

History of 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. 

The Crime Stoppers program has enjoyed great success boasting an average conviction rate of 95% on cases solved by Crime Stoppers' tips. The Crime Stoppers programs worldwide have solved over half a million crimes and recovered over $3 billion worth of stolen property and narcotics.

Today, there are over 1,000 Crime Stoppers programs in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Bahamas, British West Indies, Micronesia, and other nations.

Tri-County Crime Stoppers was founded on November 1, 1981. The original start-up funds came from the Mary and Susan Reker murder reward. Their murders remain unsolved as of this date.

Tri-County Crime Stoppers serves the Minnesota Counties of Stearns, Benton, Sherburne. These counties comprise 2,121 square miles of central Minnesota. It runs from Brooten in the west to Elk River in the east, and from Rice in the north to Kimball in the south.

Composition of Crime Stoppers

Three essential elements make up a Crime Stopper Program:

  1. The Community
  2. The Media
  3. The Police

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 the police 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 are publicized on a regular basis by the media. An unsolved "Crime of the Week" is given special treatment with details published in newspapers, on radio, and in certain cases, a re-enactment on television.

Radio Programs

WJON St. Cloud 6:25 a.m., M-W-F
KASM Albany, 5:45 p.m., T-Th

Newspaper Columns

St. Cloud Times, Wednesday edition
St. Joseph Leader, Thursday edition
Sartell Leader, Thursday edition
Cold Spring Record, Thursday edition

Cable Access

Elk River Community access channel

The Police

A special Crime Stoppers phone with a well-publicized number is provided to the community. Callers are assigned a special code number and NEVER give their names. If, after the investigation, the information leads to an arrest, the caller is entitled to a reward.

Minnesota Crime Stopper Programs:

Bemidji
Houston County - Caledonia
Northland - Duluth
Mpls/St. Paul - New Brighton
Tri-County - St. Cloud
Winona

Represented Agencies

Any effective crime stopper organization must involve law enforcement, the media and the public, all as equal participants.

Law Enforcement Agencies:

3 Sheriff's Departments
24 Police Departments
1 District Highway Patrol Station
1 DNR District Station
1 BCA Office
State Fire Marshall
FBI Office
BNSF Railroad Police
VA Hospital Police

Collateral Agencies:

MN Department of Corrections                     St. Cloud State University - Security Office College of St. Benedict - Security Office St. John's University - Life Safety Office

The Tri-County Crime Stoppers Board

Tri-County Crime Stoppers of Minnesota, Inc.
Board of Directors 2005-2007
Executive Board 2005

2009 Executive Board

Coordinator:  Phil Jorgensen

President - Alicia Mages
Vice President - Matt Larson
Secretary - Faye Schuneman
Treasurer - Kare Gaffy
 
2009-11 Board of Directors

Student Representative Term Expire June 30, 2008

Jacobson, Bill

Terms Expire December 31, 2009

Cekalla, Duane
Hovda, Jim
Miller, Brodie
Reker, Rita

Terms Expire December 31, 2010

Andzenge, Dick
Gaffy, Kara
Keyes, Galen
Larson, Matt
Schuneman, Faye

Terms Expire December 31, 2011

Gilbertson, D. Lee
Jorgensen, Phil
Reed, William
Spence, Guy
Weffels, Mary

Speakers Bureau

We welcome the opportunity to speak to your group or organization. For more information, please contact us at mntccs@yahoo.com
(note: we do not accept tips through this e-mail address.
Here's why)

Facts and Statistics

As of September 1, 2006 
Based on 1200+ Known Crime Stopper International Programs

Cases Cleared  1,115,906
Arrests Made 625,381
Rewards Paid  $98,804,944
Property Recovered  $2,024,500,638
Narcotics Seized $6,052,955,993
Total Dollars Recovered  $7,832,335,567

Tri-County Statistics as of April 5, 2007

Arrests  177
Cases Cleared  301
Property and Money Recovered  $487,650
Rewards Paid  $35,020

 

We are a non-profit agency solely dependent upon donations for our funding. Learn more about how you can help us!