Mission Statement

To solve crimes by collecting, processing, and disseminating informational tips provided anonymously by the public; and increasing community awareness to encourage ANONYMOUS submission of tips either by phone or electronic means such as: web tips, email, and text messaging through the privately maintained web site.

When a citizen has information about criminal activity they are encouraged to call Crime Stoppers and report their information anonymously. A control number is provided and the caller is instructed to check back regularly to ascertain the status of their information.
 
In addition, when a law enforcement agency has a case that needs to be brought before the public, they call Broward Crime Stoppers. The division of trained specialists arrange for a televised reenactment or other forms of media exposure. In the presentation, the public is asked for information about the crime with the assurance that the caller will remain anonymous.
 
If the tip results in an arrest, the tipster is eligible for a monetary reward of UP TO $1000. Rewards are paid out in cash, and are tax exempt under IRS Regulations.
 
Crime Stoppers is successful because of the unique triad partnership between law enforcement, the media, and the community! We appreciate our media partners, as well as those concerned citizens that submit anonymous tips.

July 1981 - March 2011

Cases Cleared: 19,614
Arrests Made: 11,690
Rewards Approved: $2,432,665
Property Recovered: $34,955,222
Narcotics Recovered: $328,683,599
Total Recovered: $363,638,821
Weapons Seized: 295
Homicides Solved: 251

The Crime Stoppers program began in Broward County in 1981.
Mr. David Rush was contacted by Sheriff Robert Butterworth to assist
in finding out about a new program called Crime Stoppers. After a brief
discussion the Sheriff convinced Mr. Rush that the program could be
successful. Mr. Rush believed it would work and he contacted a local
friend in the media, Mr. Robert Lieder of WSVN Channel 7 and asked
if their station would host the program. Mr. Lieder was a little
apprehensive but went along with the plan. Mr. Rush formed a
board of directors, obtained non-profit status from the
Internal Revenue Service and the program was born.
The Broward Sheriff's Office continues to sponsor the program
through the donation of the office space and personnel.
 
Your call is completely anonymous, no caller I.D. and we do not record phone calls.

WE DO NOT WANT YOUR NAME, JUST YOUR CRIME TIP.

The Crime Stoppers Program was originally founded
in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1976 by Detective Greg MacAleese.
Detective MacAleese was working a homicide and was not getting
the information needed to solve the case. He surveyed people to find
out why they would not talk with police. His results were:
 Citizens feared retaliation
 Apathy
Citizens did not want to get involved in the court system.
 
After some further study, Detective MacAleese decided that he would
contact a friend in the media and ask them to conduct a reenactment
of the actual crime. He found a person who would donate $1000
in reward monies and he was offering a specific phone number to call
and REMAIN ANONYMOUS if anyone had information on the crime.
Within 24 hours of the re-enactment airing the case was solved.
Today there are Crime Stoppers programs worldwide.