THE GLOBAL AGE OF CRIME FIGHTING

Over the decades, the public shock created by certain crimes has served to drive everything from legislation to innovation. The saying “if it bleeds it leads” evolved as the unwritten media rule and driver for exposing game changing crime issues, ultimately setting the stage for new crime-fighting trends.

 We all remember when missing children came to light in the early 1980’s and milk cartons around the country would show a child’s face, along with a short profile. A caption would read “Have you seen me?” There were not many, if any, Child Find Units initially. But as awareness and public pressure grew, law enforcement responded knowing that these types of crimes were always out there.  Once the media connected the public to the reality of crimes against children, we were all educated on the scale and complexities of missing children cases.

 Over the last 50 years, the media, including today’s social platforms, have demonstrated a direct influence on how society sees crime and criminals, including our passions and instincts to help. The common theme throughout is what we have always known – that the public can help us identify, capture, and convict criminals if we directly ask for their help.

 Now go back 40 years to a detective in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He had a homicide case he couldn’t solve. He decided to go to the media, re-enact the crime, and then ask for the public’s help to submit tips anonymously. He also offered a reward for the information that lead to an arrest and charge of a suspect.

 This was the birth of Crime Stoppers, a straight-forward concept of creating an active partnership between the police, the media, and the public. The idea simply was to focus on solving crimes that most likely would go unsolved or, at the least, take many more police man-hours to solve. The public got on board immediately because of two simple promises that are kept: anonymity for the tipster and a monetary reward if a suspect is apprehended and charged.

 Because of the early success, it did not take long for citizens around the country to form non-profit 501c3 Crime Stoppers chapters in their communities. Today, there are over 600 programs in the United States alone! The results have been staggering and Crime Stoppers has been called the “number one crime solving tool.” As we all know, its not what you believe, its what you can prove. The real statistics for Crime Stoppers prove that the program has been a tremendous tool for law enforcement from the beginning.

 USA Crime Stoppers data from 1976 through January 1, 2018

 Arrests Made: 713,444

Cases Cleared: 1,056,949

Rewards Paid: $107,582,512.00

Stolen Property Recovered: $1,194,164,175.00

Drugs Seized: $2,814,625,854.00

Total Recovered: $ 4,012,480,631.00

 Using the two key promises of anonymity and reward, the Crime Stoppers effort has expanded internationally, empowering citizens with the opportunity and means to anonymously provide crime tips to law enforcement in their community. Today, community and student Crime Stoppers programs reach around the world and are represented by the nations/regions of the United States, Canada, Caribbean and Latin America, Europe, Australia, and the South/Western Pacific.

 As local Crime Stopper Programs attempted to organize in the international arena, it became clear that issues such as terrorism, human trafficking, and illicit trade in everything from drugs to guns were all connected. However, these crimes had become international and without borders in scope. Current technologies, such as the internet, GPS, and wireless communications have become the tools of choice for crime activity across the globe. Crimes that we all know have far-reaching tentacles that include the United States. Language barriers, cultural barriers, social and economic barriers, and complex political dynamics, including corruption, create tremendous challenges for addressing global criminal activity at a local level. In many countries, these factors alone are walls that locals cannot overcome alone. 

 In 2017, the answer to these challenges became clear. A global “think tank” from the Crime Stoppers community was needed to move the process forward. To that end, Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) from around the globe formed Crime Stoppers Global Solutions (CSGS) to address the types of crime issues that affect us all on an international level.

 CSGS CONCEPT:

The concept follows a proven formula which involves leveraging smart phone APP technology and partnering with trusted law enforcement, the media and the public to combat transnational crime. In many countries, it is more likely that an individual will have a cell phone or other wireless device before luxuries such as a car, television, or a computer.

 Public Service Announcements (PSA’s) educate and encourage the public to download the smart phone APP and submit anonymous criminal tips to Crime Stoppers Global Solutions (CSGS). CSGS will then forward those tips to trusted law enforcement partners in the appropriate country/jurisdiction where the illegal activity is taking place. If an arrest and charge of a suspect is credited to the information submitted by the tipster, then that informant will receive a monetary reward of US $1000. 

 CSGS MISSION:

Crime Stoppers Global Solutions exists solely to combat Transnational Crime specifically at the source and/or transit routes before the effects of these crimes reach other nations, including the United States. 

Crimes Targeted:

?      Human Trafficking

?      Terrorism

?      Illicit Trade

?      Illegal Arms Dealing

?      Narcotics Smuggling

?      Cyber-Crime   

So what sets Crime Stoppers Global Solutions apart from the rest?

·      Utilizes smart phone APP technology that is globally adaptable for citizen engagement

·      CSGS helps locals, including government entities, to build a sustainable Crime Stoppers program with its own local identity

·      The focus and mission are on specific crimes that affect us all on a global level

 CSGS utilizes the Project Griffin “4 P” Model to formulate its crime fighting success.

·      Prevention: By partnering with trusted law enforcement in developing countries, CSGS can substantially eliminate political/police corruption that allows these crimes to flourish.

·      Protection: Due to the anonymity factor of the smart phone APP, a citizen can report crime without fear of reprisal.

·      Preparedness: Media PSA’s inform the public the smart phone APP exists, instructs how to use the APP, assures the citizenry it is anonymous and safe and entices by stating the anonymous tipster can receive up to $1000 US for an arrest and charge of a suspect.

·      Pursuit: Once the tips are received, they are relayed to our trusted law enforcement contacts for investigation.

 Will the Transnational Crime Initiative work?

The short answer is that the program shows great promise- as did the initial program in 1976. The citizens of many countries are unhappy with the crime and corruption they see daily but are afraid to report out of fear. By focusing on specific transnational crimes and insuring anonymity with the offer a monetary reward for credible tips that bring about an arrest and charge of a suspect, the initiative will likely be successful anywhere in the world.

 For example, the CSGS concept has already been tested in the Balkans, a renowned hotbed of illegal trade. A single test with the media and law enforcement in Bosnia generated 45+ tips that were forwarded to the trusted law enforcement partners in the region. These tips are already being investigated and several arrests are imminent.

 Crime Stoppers is not a new idea. However, applying the model to a more complex world of criminal enterprise requires new thinking and new technologies. While expanding internationally through Crime Stoppers Global Solutions clearly helps us here at home, empowering people in any country to help their local police to solve crime is always the right thing to do!

 For further information, go to www.csglobalsolutions.org or feel free to contact James Fuda at [email protected].

James Fuda: Vice-Chairman, Crime Stoppers Global Solutions

M Scott Sotebeer, PhD: BOD Member, Crime Stoppers Global Solutions