From "World's Greatest Mom" to "Go 49ers", license plate hangers are on almost every vehicle, and are a great way to display a personal message or advertise a business. They serve as mobile billboards, so why not use them as a crime fighting tool? The Lodi Area Crime Stoppers is doing just that. We recently added license plate hangers to Lodi Police vehicles to encourage citizens to call the Lodi Area Crime Stoppers "Tip" line. You will not only see these hangers on police units, but also on City of Lodi vehicles and Lodi Unified School District vehicles.
Crime Stoppers was developed in the Lodi Area in 1984 to increase community involvement in solving crimes. Working with an all volunteer Board of Directors, the program generates funds through donations and offers rewards to citizens who remain anonymous, while providing information to solve crimes. Since the start of program, over 25,000 calls have been received resulting in 459 arrests and 527 cases being cleared. A total of $39,250 has been paid in rewards for "tips" received on the Lodi Area Crime Stoppers line.
The Lodi Area Crime Stoppers is a partnership between law enforcement, City Government, the media, and local businesses. This program encourages citizens to assist law enforcement in solving crimes. Citizens can take an active part in reducing crime by anonymously providing valuable information that may result in an arrest or to clear a case.
Our local newspapers, with sponsorships from businesses, publish the "Crime of the Week" and "Most Wanted" photos offering rewards for information leading to the arrest of individuals. The dollar amount of the rewards varies based on the information provided and the crime solved. The Board of Directors reviews each case to determine if a reward will be granted and the dollar amount of the reward.
Lodi Area Crime Stoppers "tips" have led to the successful recovery of over 1 million dollars worth of stolen property, and over $158,800.00 worth of narcotics have been seized. The Lodi Area Crime Stoppers program has also taken an active role in promoting and sponsoring prevention and informational programs in our community including: Operation Thumb Print, the introduction of a Crime Stoppers Program in local schools, sponsored Lodi PD Trading Cards, and purchased the department Crime Prevention vehicle.
To give information regarding a crime and remain anonymous call Crime Stoppers at 333-6771 Monday through Friday 7 AM to 5 PM. You may also call the same number to support the program through a donation or to participate in the annual fundraising golf tournament at the Woodbridge Golf and Country Club on June 26, 2006. Lodi Area Crime Stoppers is a tremendous benefit to our local law enforcement agencies and to the entire community. For future reference, if you ever need the Crime Stoppers number, look no farther than the license plate hanger of any Lodi Police, City or School District Vehicle.
Contributed by:
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Lt. Jeanie Biskup