Secret Witness! You hear the name touted nearly every night on television's evening news. You hear about it so much that you may even be able to cite the phone number from memory.. 385-5555. And as a department employee, you even know that somewhere in the abyss of Metro's administration building, there exists a small office assigned to this program. Now the name has changed, but the mission is still the same. "Crime Stoppers of Nevada" is the new name for this program. How much do you really know about this world-wide program?

Q. Why is the name changing?
A. We here in Clark County have such a large influx of people (approximately 4,000 per month). We cannot keep up with the constant flow of information needed to keep our citizens aware of the Secret Witness Program.
We have changed the name of "Secret Witness of Las Vegas" to "Crime Stoppers of Nevada" because 95% of the Crime Stoppers programs throughout the world are known as Crime Stoppers. This name recognition will help those people moving to our area to understand the concept of a Crime Stoppers program.

Q. What is the purpose of Crime Stoppers?

A. Crime Stoppers' primary purpose is to reduce crime. To meet this mission, it is designed to do two things: (1) it allows callers to remain anonymous for information they give to the program (the information MUST be given to Crime Stoppers prior to a law enforcement agency), and (2) to be financially rewarded for providing information about felonious criminal activity.

Q. What is the specific operational procedure in reporting crime?

A. A telephone call is received through our call-taking agency. The tipster gives the information to the call-taker. After the information is received, the tipster is given a code number; that number is only known to the tipster and the call-taker.
The information on the tip is then given to the law enforcement that is responsible for handling that specific type of crime. When the investigative agency has completed their investigation, a "return sheet" is filled out and sent to Crime Stoppers. If an arrest was made on the felony case due to the information from the tipster, that tipster is eligible for a reward but only if the information given results in an arrest and indictment is the caller eligible for a reward. The tipster is notified of their eligibility for a reward and is then sent to a location only known to the tipster for a cash reward.

Q. Who are the folks answering the phones?

A. An out-of-state professional answering service handles the tips received throughout the world, and those tips that relate to crimes committed in Southern Nevada are sent to our office where they are then distributed to the proper law enforcement agencies for follow-up.
The answering service only handles calls on crime-related issues. It does not answer calls for other types of business (i.e.: doctors, lawyers, etc.).

Q. Are callers questioned over the phones?

A. Callers (tipsters) are asked questions as long as they are comfortable doing so. Call-takers are trained in the proper techniques of telephone interviews. Call-takers use a tip sheet that is formatted to assist them in asking important questions in a proper order to get the maximum information needed to assist the investigators who will handle that tip sheet information.

Q. What type of crimes can be reported?

A. Crime Stoppers receives calls for all felony crimes.

Q. Does the witness have to testify?

A. Crime Stoppers does not ask nor do we pay a tipster to testify in a court of law.

Q. How is a witness's identity protected?

A. Crime Stoppers does not allow any type of devices on their telephones. The tipster is only referred to as "the caller." A code number is given to protect the tipster's identification.

Q. How are rewards paid and the amounts determined?

A. Rewards are paid to tipsters at a location known only to them. They are paid in cash after verbally giving the code number that was assigned to them.
The amount paid for rewards is based on a "Reward Assessment" scale using a point system; points equate to dollars.

1. Type of crime
2. Number of crimes solved
3. Property/Narcotics value recovered
4. Number of persons arrested
5. Personal risk of tipster

Q. Where does the money come from?

A. All monies are donations from business organizations or citizens of our communities in Southern Nevada.

Q. What kind of success has the program experienced?

A. Crime Stoppers has been instrumental in helping law enforcement solve many different kinds of violent crimes, including homicides, robberies, rapes, arson, narcotics, stolen vehicles, kidnap, grand larcenies, felony hit and runs, fraud, forgeries, burglaries, mayhem and fugitives.
Since 1979, Crime Stoppers (formerly Secret Witness) has received over 100,000 calls, received over $54.5 million in property and contraband, helped apprehend over 10,000 persons through arrest and paid out over $1.4 million since inception of the program.

Q. How closely does Crime Stoppers work with the police?

A. Crime Stoppers has a very close relationship with law enforcement, media and the community. It requires all three of these entities to keep a Crime Stoppers program and operate at the level which is needed to be a continual success.

Q. Is Crime Stoppers involved with the school district?

A. Crime Stoppers is in the process of starting a Junior Crime Stoppers program with the Clark County School District.

Q. Who are the board of trustees?

A. The board of trustees is composed of server al different types of business owners and citizens. The board sets its goals on recruiting business-type people from all walks of the business world and private citizens with a need to make our communties safer.