POLICY STATEMENT : Decades of research has shown that citizen involvement and cooperation is essential in the solving of crimes. The police alone cannot control crime.

Crimestoppers is a program that unites the police, media and the citizens of the community in an effort to curb crime. Through innovative news releases, anonymous communication links and the promise of a monetary reward for viable information, citizens are encouraged to report information that leads to the identification of criminals or the recovery of stolen property. It has been documented that citizen tips have often allowed police to solve cases that have defied solution through traditional investigation.

SPECIFIC GUIDELINES:

1. Information about a certain crime is submitted to the campus and local media. The release includes information about crime stoppers and instructions for reporting information and collecting a reward.
2. Information is received via the OSU Police Department Hotline 744-TIPS (744-8477) or directly to an investigator.
3. The caller may be given an identification number and advised of the conditions of payment of a reward.
4. The information is investigated, and if it leads to an arrest, indictment, or the recovery of stolen property, the file is forwarded, with the investigator's comments, to the Crimestoppers committee.
5. The Crimestoppers committee, made up of a police official, a media official, and a citizen volunteer, reviews the file and makes recommendations to the Director of Public Safety, who shall have the final decision authority on the amount of the payment.
   1. It has been documented that many of the anonymous tips come from other criminals.
   2. Also, research indicates that the size of the reward is not related to the tipsters' satisfaction with the program or his/her willingness to participate again. Many will ultimately decline a reward.
   3. The most successful programs allow the committee to decide the amount of each reward on a case-by-case basis. Some flexibility in the amount of the reward allows the police official to "up the ante" if it is believed the tipster has further crucial information about a serious crime.
   4. Loose guidelines can be set for rewards linked with certain categories of crimes:
      1. Up to $1,000 for critical information that helps solve a serious felony offense involving violence.
      2. 10% of property value up to $500 would be a reasonable guideline for multiple-case property crimes, or where the impact of the lost property has great ramifications.
      3. In single-incident property crimes where the value is less than $5,000 and does not fall under item "b" above, the reward should be set at one- to two-hundred dollars.
      4. Generally, misdemeanors are not considered for the Crimestoppers program.
6. The following persons are not eligible for a reward:
   1. A commissioned police officer or immediate member of his/her family.
   2. The perpetrator of the crime under investigation.
   3. The victim of the crime and members of his/her family.
   4. Members of the Crimestoppers committee and members of their families.
7. . An OSU Police Officer will be the Crimestoppers coordinator and decides, in coordination with investigations, which crimes are particularly suited to the Crimestoppers approach.
8. . Conditions for Anonymity: Tipsters may be assured that their identity will be closely guarded and not used in routine reports. In extreme cases, tipsters may be assigned a number or code name for future contacts. However, payment of a reward must be made to an identifiable person with a verified signature of receipt.
9. Conditions & Method of Payment: In most instances, arrangements for payment will be made by the OSU Police Officer assigned to the Crimestoppers Program and will consist of a written authorization by the Director and a signed receipt from the tipster. In rare instances, other arrangements might be made with the approval of the Director.
10. The initial crimestopper funds of $2,500 were received from auxiliary service. Only through careful awards can the funds be maintained. Further, when arrests are made as a result of Crimestopper tips, it should be routine to ask for restitution of the funds during prosecution.
11. The OSU Crime Stoppers phone line will be answered by the OSU Police Dispatcher, 24 hours a day. The line will be answered as "OSU Crime Stopper tips line. May I help you."

The Crime Stoppers program has gone statewide with a new toll-free number Oklahomans can use to report crimes to authorities. The number for the Oklahoma State Crime Stoppers Tip Line is (800) 635-TIPS (8477) . The line will be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation personnel.