School Program
Students who step forward with anonymous tips leading to arrests will be eligible for cash awards through the program, based on an internally recognized model.
School and police officials agree that most students want to do the right thing to keep their schools and neighborhoods safe but sometimes fear reprisals. The Student Crime Stoppers Program offers the safety of complete anonymity while promoting responsibility and allowing students to take action against victimization and crime.
Crime Stoppers Student Program was initially started to provide an outlet for students to get involved in the safety of their school. The vision was a safer place for students to learn and for teachers to teach. It has proven to have accomplished this goal.
The Crime Stoppers program incorporated a way for students to get involved without giving the student's identity away and still get rewarded for their efforts. The Crime Stoppers software used to report tips protects and blocks the user’s identity and gives them a reference number to communicate back and forth.
Crime Stoppers regular program normally deals with felony level crimes. School crimes usually fall in either rules broken or misdemeanors like graffiti, weapons, vandalism, thefts, car prowl, and drugs. Most of these infractions are paid out from school funds. These payouts are also determined by the school on these crimes and reports forwarded back to the Sheriff's Office/ Crime Stoppers coordinator. As soon as the crime moves to a felony level the funds are rewarded through Crime Stopper funds.
Tips are forwarded to Crime Stoppers via calling, computer or smartphone app (P3). Information is gathered and sent to your school's safety director and then the decision is made to act on the information. If a person is apprehended, then a report is filed and sent back to the coordinator. The coordinator will inform the tipster via P3 about any reward offered Rewards are paid at a local bank and the only thing necessary to receive the cash reward is the code given at the time of the original tip. No names, no identification.
What you need to get started and be successful:
· School rewards come out of this fund.
· Full support and buy in from school staff and administration.
· Class/student officers to support and promote the program.
With all things considered in starting a program in your school, we believe having anonymous student programs and developing good student citizens will help provide the safe environment your students and teachers deserve. If you need more information call the Yakima County Sheriff's Office at (509) 574-2500 for the Crime Stoppers coordinator.