The success of this new and innovative outreach program or citizen participation with area-wide partnerships translates to having the potential to impact on millions of lives throughout the greater Twin Cities area and serve as a role model for the hundreds of millions of citizens here in the United States. People touched by our programs will be empowered to have an impact on their own future.

The Crime Stoppers, Inc. Strategic Crime and Terrorism Prevention Partnership program is divided into six core partnership elements: Schools; Services Organizations; Businesses; Law Enforcement; Religious Denominations and the Media.

The success of Crime Stoppers also includes the participation of metropolitan area service club organizations. We will secure organization leader support and endorsements and utilize their area-wide strength and reputation to secure support from their local chapters. Members will be utilized as volunteers, coordinators, networkers and donors. We will do this by:

• Developing support of leadership from Rotary, Elks, Eagles, Lions, Federated Women's' Clubs, Juniors, Kiwanis, Junior Chamber, VFW, American Legion, AARP and Unions;
• Initiating a “Organizations Against Crime” campaign chaired by key organization leaders;
• Recruiting members to man phone banks for citizen response and alerts;
• Develop marketing campaign in organization publications; and
• Market program at organization statewide conventions.

The success of Crime Stoppers includes the participation of metropolitan area businesses. We will secure key firms and utilize their strength and reputation to move into the medium and small business community. Wells Fargo has already committed to becoming our first major partner and will assist Crime Stoppers in developing other major business partners. We will do this by:

• Developing the support of each county's Chambers of Commerce;
• Initiating a “Business Against Crime” support campaign chaired by key business leaders;
• Secure endorsement and support of ten major businesses and employee campaigns;
• Developing “in-house” promotional programs with each major corporation;
• Developing neighborhood “Crime Stopper Business Partner” program with window decals; and
• Initiate an annual gala where business leaders take a leading role in honoring volunteers for their achievements in fighting crime and terrorism;

The success of Crime Stoppers also includes the participation of metropolitan area churches, synagogues, temples and mosques. We will secure religious leader support and endorsements and utilize their area-wide strength and reputation to secure support from each congregation. Members will be utilized as volunteers, coordinators, networkers and donors. We will do this by:

• Developing support of key leadership from all denominations;
• Initiating “Denominations Against Crime” campaign chaired by denomination leaders;
• Recruiting members to man phone banks for citizen response and alerts;
• Develop marketing campaign in denomination publications; and
• Market program at denomination statewide meetings.

Crime Stoppers, Inc. has been working with law enforcement for 25 years in this area. Crime Stoppers provides the public with an alternative in passing on crime solving information to the police, especially when they may be reluctant to become involved in the criminal justice system. Law enforcement support of Crime Stoppers provides the public the opportunity to do the right thing anonymously, if they so desire.

There are two main services law enforcement agencies can provide within a Crime Stoppers operation. The first is to investigate the tips received by the program, quickly and efficiently, providing feedback to the organization on the status of the cases, and to request more information when necessary. The second is to serve as liaison and Youth Against Crime Coordinators in the schools where officers are assigned.

There is now the need for law enforcement agencies to create a formal Memorandum of Understanding with the Crime Stoppers Program, outlining the responsibilities of the respective organizations to each other. This allows for individual agencies to have a policy in place regarding their agreed upon expectations. Law enforcement agencies will promote the program both internally and externally which creates greater program awareness within their agencies and encourages investigators to utilize the program.

The role of the media within the Crime Stoppers operation is to provide public awareness and education about the Crime Stoppers programs by publicizing the Crime Stoppers telephone numbers, program objectives, methods of operation and successes, broadcasting crime reports, re-enactments, the “Crime of the Week”, and “Mug Shots”. Press releases and coordination will be with all media representatives in order to reach a broader audience to allow the media the opportunity to decide how they want to be involved in the program. Since Crime Stoppers is a community based program rather than a law enforcement initiative, the media will be seen as promoting community involvement and safety, rather than a police program.

All types of media can be involved with the Crime Stoppers program. KSTP's "Crime of the Week” re-enactment is ideal for television, but radio and newspapers have benefits as well. Newspapers will report on Crime Stoppers stories documenting activities and successes of the program, as well as reporting on unresolved cases. A page or column can be dedicated to Crime Stoppers information and carry the Crime Stoppers logo, telephone number and display wanted persons on a regular basis. Radio will serve a similar function.

The advantages for media involvement with Crime Stoppers are:

• Crime is of great interest to the public;
• Crime of the Week helps build the audience/increase circulation;
• Projects strong image of community involvement by the station in the fight against crime;
• Provides increased involvement and improved relations with the law enforcement agency and officers on the force;
• Provides the opportunity for follow up on unsolved crimes;
• Allows the opportunity to give crime prevention messages and involve the public to help battle crime and protect themselves against crime; and
• Media plays an important role in reporting crime and, when crimes are solved as a result of media's commitment, they can take credit for helping solve the crime.
• Broadcasting or publishing the Crime of the Week on the same day each week, at the same time, and in the same location;
• The media will run stories on Crime Stoppers and Homeland Security successes; and
• Television stations will be asked to commit to providing a producer, equipment and the necessary personnel for producing the crime re-enactments each week.
  

In 2001 Crime Stoppers brought the “Quick 50” program to the Bloomington School administration for consideration in their schools. Financial rewards were called “Good Citizenship Rewards”. Students and staff changed the program name to Youth Against Crime and it was agreed to implement the program in two high schools first. From time to time, the school principal makes an announcement about the Youth Against Crime program, tips are called in and action is taken.

Now, realizing the success and potential of the program and in full partnership with the Bloomington Public Schools, the Youth Against Crime program has evolved into a key component of the Five Core Values of Ethical Conduct of the school system. The values are specifically taught and modeled in the schools' “learning environments” consisting of respect, responsibility, honesty, citizenship and integrity. Youth Against Crime fits well into these learning environments, which include collaborating with community partners to implement the plan. The teaching of citizenship will expand to include greater student responsibilities for their actions, both refraining from committing crimes, as well as reporting them and will have a strong impact on safety in the schools.

Bloomington's test model for the Youth Against Crime program can unify the metropolitan school districts under one cohesive umbrella and be operated at any level of the educational process, from elementary school, through University. The basic program organization remains the same with the exception that in high school and universities, students can develop their own Board of Directors. There are usually smaller rewards and students are empowered to take control of their environment and community, in their resolve to reduce crime and make their schools a safer place to attend.

Students may anonymously report crimes that have occurred by calling a “tip” line or filling out a form containing detailed information on what the crime was and the name of suspect(s) if known. The program is established to maintain anonymity of tipsters. Programs have established different guidelines for tip information, always ensuring the anonymity of the tipster. If the Crime is solved, then the overseers establish the reward amount in much the same way as the regular program does. The reward is then paid by the board in a manner where the tipster's anonymity can still be guaranteed. As most offences are dealt with by the school administration by way of suspension, detention or restitution rather than criminal charge flexibility from the normal Crime Stoppers operational rules as well as the awards payout policies is acceptable.

Our Youth Against Crime plan calls for two approaches:

Expand Youth Against Crime program in Bloomington, Minnesota schools:

• Work with a small task force of principals to complete the new strategic plan;
• Provide principals with copy of the Strategic Plan to implement in November 2005;
• Complete the development of appropriate materials for each level of schools for take-home information campaign;
• Meet with principals to review implementation program and education of teachers and key students for their support of the program;
• Recruit volunteers to help initiate and support the program;
• Presentation is made by Crime Stoppers to each school's Student council. Within each presentation time frame is the Oath about guns and five core values;
• Student Council accepts Youth Against Crime as their program for oversight responsibility within their school;
• Only senior high schools have the financial rewards program;
• Secondary and elementary schools will have special certificates of recognition for their support and also for special acts of kindness;
• Schools will put up posters about Youth Against Crime;
• Schools have poster contests with special awards to winners;
• In elementary schools emphasis placed on recognition for their good deeds and students' progress is charted;
• Principals make weekly announcements about supporting the Youth Against Crime program;
• When possible, promote successes of program - not names of students who participated;
• Handouts are given to the students to take home to their parents. Parents will read about how the schools are working to make their location a safe place for their children and how parents can be supportive of the program;
• Quarterly evaluations by Crime Stoppers, school and foundation grant staff and law enforcement to evaluate the progress of the program; and
• Next Spring seven county wide conference for students about what they can do to support Youth Against Crime and make their school safer. Two representatives from each school.

Implement Youth Against Crime Program in each of the seven metropolitan counties school districts:

• Work with Bloomington school staff to identify contacts in other school districts;
• Take the Bloomington program implementation for Youth Against Crime and its quarterly evaluations to school boards in each school districts in the seven county metropolitan area;
• Work with police, PTA and school representatives to identify initial schools;
• Recruit and train volunteers;
• Develop appropriate marketing materials;
• Revise plan and materials based upon each systems needs;
• Meet with principals, teachers, coordinators and students for training as needed;
• Identify volunteers to target specific school districts for coordination;
• Recruit volunteers to support the program; and
• Develop teen Youth Against Crime Conference for October 2005.

Together, Crime Stoppers Youth Against Crime and the School system will make a difference!

Page Last Updated: 10/8/07 by the Webmasterr