|
ACT Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 ACT Crime Stoppers is a telephone hotline that allows you, as a general member of your community, to provide anonymous information about criminal activity. It means you can provide crime-solving assistance to ACT Policing, without being directly involved in the investigation process. You could also be eligible for a reward, if the information you report, results in an arrest. If you are witnessing a crime in progress, or wish to make a report of a crime, please contact police on 131 444. If you are in a life threatening situation/emergency dial 000. Why we need Crime Stoppers Police cannot always solve every crime on their own. Forensic science and investigation skills are vital tools in solving crime. However, information from the public can often be the vital key. Through Crime Stoppers you can effectively provide an "eyes and ears" extension to ACT Policing. Crime Stoppers is based on the principal that "someone other than the criminal has information that can solve a crime" and was created to combat the three major problems faced by law enforcement agencies in generating that information: · fear of reprisal · an attitude of apathy · reluctance to get involved. Crime Stoppers resolves these problems by:
How you can help If you have information about illegal activity or suspected perpetrators relating to crime in the ACT, or any unsolved crime anywhere in Australia, call Crime Stoppers on the toll free number 1800 333 000 or email to crimestoppers@afp.gov.au. It's that easy! Every piece of information is important. It may seem insignificant to you, but it could prove vital to the investigation, arrest and prosecution. How did Crime Stoppers get started? Crime Stoppers began in Albuquerque, New Mexico USA in July 1976, after the fatal shooting of a university student working one night at a local petrol station. More than two weeks after the murder, detectives weren't any closer to solving the crime than when they began. Out of desperation, Detective MacAleese approached a local television network, requesting a TV reconstruction. The re-enactment offered the informants total anonymity, and a cash reward of $1,000, for information leading to the arrest of the offenders. Within 72 hours of the program going to air, a person phoned and stated he had seen a car speeding away from the service station, and, because it looked out of place, he had noted the registration number. The caller had not made contact earlier for fear of getting involved. As it turned out, the caller's information became the missing link, ultimately leading to the arrest of the offenders. An unexpected bonus that emerged from this tragic event, enabled detectives to receive considerable information from members of the public. This information assisted in solving various criminal cases, unrelated to the murder, thanks to the anonymous 'tips line'. Detective MacAleese had identified two significant reasons why members of the public were reluctant to come forward: 1. Fear 2. Apathy. To counteract fear, Detective MacAleese decided that a system was required, whereby members of the public could provide details of events to the police with absolute anonymity. To overcome apathy, he targeted three areas of need:
Crime Stoppers was initiated from this point and continues today. If you have information that can provide crime-solving assistance to ACT Policing, call the Crime Stoppers hotline now on 1 800 333 000 If you are witnessing a crime in progress or wish to make a report of a crime, please contact police on 131 444. If you are in a life threatening situation/emergency dial 000. ****************************** This Community Support Website is |
