FAQ
Index:
How can a person call Crime Stoppers?
Is Crime Stoppers a part of the Department of Public Safety?
Do Politicians sit on the Board as Crime Stoppers Board members?
Why is the Crime Stoppers Coordinator a police officer?
What
is the difference between an “informant” and a “tipster?”
How can someone identify Crime Stoppers tipsters?
If the identity of a tipster is unknown to Crime Stoppers, why did
Crime Stoppers introduce legislation making it a felony to release the
identity of the tipster?
If I call in a tip to the Crime Stoppers Tips Line how do I get
a reward?
What determines the amount of the reward to be given?
How soon can a tipster expect to receive their reward?
Where do tipsters receive their rewards?
Does a caller have to be over 18 or 21 years of age to call in a
tip about a crime?
How can a person call Crime Stoppers?
Crime Stoppers can be accessed from any phone just by calling 234-PARA (7272).
If you have a Verizon cell phone all you have to do is call (*11), star 11. Verizon pays for your call and there is no charge to you.
If you live on Tinian or Rota all you have to do is call 234-7272. Verizon pays for your phone call and the Crime Stoppers number does not appear on your phone bill.
Is Crime Stoppers a part of the Department of Public Safety?
No it is not. The NMI Crime Stoppers Program is a private program run by a civilian Board of Directors who are not in the public law enforcement field. The NMI Crime Stoppers Program is a chartered non-profit program registered with the CNMI Office of Corporations.
Do Politicians sit on the Board as Crime Stoppers Board members?
Again, Crime Stoppers is a civilian program operated by civilians from the business community. No politicians or law enforcement personnel are Board members.
Crime Stoppers is a non-profit community operated program with strong interaction with law enforcement and the media.
Why is the Crime Stoppers Coordinator a police officer?
The NMI Crime Stoppers Program, as do other Crime Stoppers programs, usually selects a police officer to be the coordinator as the coordinator is the liaison between the civilian Crime Stoppers Board and all law enforcement agencies.
The coordinator does not have to be a law enforcement person.
What is the difference between an “informant” and a “tipster?”
An “informant” is usually an individual who’s identity is known to a law enforcement agency and works for a law enforcement agency in some capacity other than an actual law enforcement officer. An “informant” is usually paid by a law enforcement agency to provide them with information.
A “tipster” is someone who calls Crime Stoppers and provides information about a crime or crimes. The identity of all “tipsters” always remains anonymous as Crime Stoppers never asks the “tipster” to identify themselves.
When a “tipster” calls Crime Stoppers they are given a code number. The caller is only known to Crime Stoppers by that code number.
How can someone identify Crime Stoppers tipsters?
They cannot. Since the identity of the tipster is unknown to Crime Stoppers, Crime Stoppers cannot reveal the identity of a tipster.
The NMI Crime Stoppers Program has taken this a step further and introduced legislation that prevents anyone from obtaining information from Crime Stoppers records. The identity of the tipster is not in Crime Stoppers records since their identities are unknown anyway.
Also included in the Crime Stoppers legislation is a clause that makes it a felony, punishable by both fine and/or imprisonment, for any Crime Stoppers Board member, coordinator, or anyone else associated with Crime Stoppers to reveal the identity of a tipster.
If the identity of a tipster is unknown to Crime Stoppers why did Crime Stoppers introduce legislation making it a felony to release the identity of the tipster?
It is really a matter of integrity. The NMI Crime Stoppers Program wants the public to know that they are holding themselves accountable. The identity of a tipster will be kept anonymous no matter the cost. No one can access it and persons associated with Crime Stoppers are legally bound not to reveal it. It is an added legal protection to maintain the anonymity of callers.
If I call in a tip to the Crime Stoppers Tips Line how do I get a reward?
Again, each caller is provided with a code number. If the information (tip) called in by the caller leads to an arrest the caller is eligible for a reward. Crime Stoppers does not always pay a $1,000 reward for “every’ tip leading to an arrest.
What determines the amount of the reward to be given?
The Crime Stoppers Board of Directors works with a “reward points sheet.” For each tip called in which leads to an arrest the board determines the points. When the points are added up, the point value determines the amount of the reward.
Points are calculated in the following categories. Type of crime, number of cases cleared, number of persons arrested, dollar amount of stolen property recovered, and value of drugs seized. The more serious the crime, the more cases cleared, the more people arrested, the higher the value of stolen property recovered and the higher the value of drugs seized all go toward pushing the dollar amount of the reward higher.
How soon can a tipster expect to receive their reward?
All rewards are paid in cash (since you cannot write a check to an anonymous person). Tipsters normally receive their reward/s after the Crime Stoppers Board has conducted their regularly scheduled monthly meeting. It is during that monthly meeting when rewards amounts are determined. Once the reward amount has been determined the tipster can call the coordinator and the coordinator will advise the caller of the amount of the reward and where the tipster can obtain their reward.
When an arrest has been made on the strength of a Crime Stoppers tip law enforcement investigates the case or cases further until all leads are exhausted. As a result of further investigation law enforcement may clear more cases, may make additional arrests, and may recover more stolen property or seize more illegal drugs. As a result, from the time of the first arrest, further investigation my push the reward amount much higher than just from the initial arrest. So, many times, it pays for the tipster to be patient and allow law enforcement complete their investigation first.
Many tipsters insist upon receiving their rewards immediately upon the initial arrest being made. In these instances the Board will call an emergency meeting and determine the reward amount.
Where do tipsters receive their rewards?
The cash reward is placed in an envelope with only the code number of the tipster written on the envelope. The envelope is given to a person who is not a Crime Stoppers Board member and is not a law enforcement officer. It is generally given to someone at some business establishment that is only known to the Crime Stoppers Coordinator and the tipster. The tipster goes to the location described by the coordinator and only gives his code number to the appropriate individual. That individual turns over the envelope and asks NO questions. A simple Thank You is all that is needed.
Does a caller have to be over 18 or 21 years of age to call in a tip about a crime?
No. Crime Stoppers asks nothing about the identity of the caller. Crime Stoppers only wants your information, not your name. Crime Stoppers ONLY wants your information. Crime Stoppers does not want to know anything about the caller. Not their age, not their gender, not their ethnic origin, nothing. Only the information.