• What is it?

As a nonprofit organization, Crime Stoppers involves the Community, the Media, and Law Enforcement in the fight against crime. Cash rewards up to $1000 are offered to citizens who furnish information leading to the arrest and indictment of felony crime offenders or to the capture of felony fugitives.

• How does it work?

Most of the information received by Crime Stoppers is by telephone. You may call 940-322-9888 any time 24 hours a day 7 days a week, with information about any unsolved Felony crime. If you are calling from outside Wichita Falls, Texas you may call 1-800-322-9888.

When Crime Stoppers receive a call, they log it with the date and time, and a brief summary of the caller's information. They furnish callers with a secret code number that is used in subsequent transactions to identify the caller. Callers may remain completely anonymous, with no pressure to reveal their identity, and still collect their rewards.

If a caller's information results in the arrest and indictment of an offender or the apprehension of a fugitive, the caller will have received instructions on when to call back to check their case. When the caller does call back at that time they will give him information that will allow him to receive his or her reward in cash and still preserve his or her anonymity.

• How are the rewards paid?

Prominent area citizens have volunteered their time and have formed a board of directors to oversee the Crime Stoppers program. This board approves the rewards to be paid, based on information presented by the Police Coordinator. The board does not know who called in the information. It is presented the facts about the case or fugitive in question and the code number of the caller is the only identifier used.

Once the board approves a reward and the caller has called back to check on the case, the Police Coordinator will give the caller his or her instructions on how to pick up the reward. They give the caller special code information and he or she is directed to a local bank. The caller uses this code information by giving it to a teller at the drive-through at the bank. The teller will verify the code information, and return to the caller an envelope with the caller's cash reward money. The caller then drives off with no one knowing who he or she was.

• How does the program get additional information?

In order to publicize the Crime Stoppers program and maintain a high profile in the community, a specific unsolved felony crime is selected each week and a re-enactment is video taped. This is shown each Monday on KFDX TV 3 during the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. news. It is also broadcast over radio stations KLUR, KMOC, KNIN, KOLI, KQXC, KTLT, KWFS, and KYYI. The Shopper, The Wichita Falls Hispanic Guide, Wichita Falls Times & Record News, and the Thrifty Nickel print a written version of the "Crime of the Week" each week. Vista Cablevision airs the event on several cable channels daily. Fox 18 and UPN 35 air the event numerous times daily.

The re-enactment is filmed at the actual scene of the offense and the actors are chosen to fit the description of the real offenders as closely as possible if the description is known. The re-enactment keeps the public interest in Crime Stoppers at a high level and helps find an occasional "casual witness" to the crime who did not realize he or she was actually witnessing a crime. Crime Stoppers does not pay TV or Radio time. The cooperating stations absorb all the production expenses and airtime costs.

Texoma's Most Wanted on Vista's VCTV Channel 15, features wanted fugitives and stolen vehicles each week.

Umbrella Campus Crime Stoppers Program are currently operating at Barwise Jr. High School, Burkburnett High School, Burkburnett Jr. High School, City View School, Electra High School, Electra Jr. High School, Harrell Center, Hirschi High School, Iowa Park High School, Iowa Park Jr. High School, Kirby Jr. High School, McNeil Jr. High School, Notre Dame High School, Rider High School, Wichita Falls High School and Zundy Jr. High School

• Does it work?

Yes! Crime Stoppers is working, and it works without spending a lot of TAX dollars. The only tax dollars spent is the Coordinators salary and the office space that the City of Wichita Falls donates to the program. The majority of all the rewards paid come from Tax-deductible donations and probationers fees.

Crime Stoppers is a nonprofit organization 501c (3) and is funded through donations from the public. Contributions are Tax deductible!.

Mail all contributions to Wichita Falls Crime Stoppers, Inc. P.O. Box 878 Wichita Falls, Texas 76301.

Help to make your community a safer place to live. Call Crime Stoppers today. Remember, you do not have to give your name and you could earn a reward up to $1,000.00. It pays to Talk!