NEWS STORY DETAIL
Tips lead to more arrests, drug seizures in 2006
News Type: Other
January 31, 2007
Tips lead to more arrests, drug seizures in 2006
By SETH ROBBINS
Staff Writer
DAYTONA BEACH -- Anonymous callers to Crime Stoppers and tipsters clicking away online propelled the organization to its most successful year ever in 2006.
At its annual meeting Tuesday at Daytona USA, Crime Stoppers reported increases in the number of arrests, drug seizures and rewards given away to tipsters. Tips rose from 73 in 2005 to more than 170 in 2006 as Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida had its first full year serving a four-county region that includes Volusia, Flagler, Putnam, and St. Johns counties. The tips also resulted in the seizure of $110,000 worth of illegal drugs, up from $27,000 the previous year, said Gary Davidson, Crime Stoppers spokesman.
"It's a combined effort between the community and law enforcement," said Jorge Carvajal, Volusia County sheriff's investigator,
Carvajal said a tip received this week helped Daytona Beach police seize about 2 pounds of marijuana, which has a street value of about $1,500.
"The local agencies follow up on the tips knocking on doors," Carvajal said, "and word spreads pretty fast,"
The spike in arrests and seizures resulted in Crime Stoppers board members authorizing more than $32,000 dollars in rewards last year, nearly double the amount of money handed out in 2005. The Crime Stoppers Web site has also provided another outlet for tipsters who can now help catch criminals with a click of a mouse. Carvajal estimated the Web site has received about 90 tips since the inception of its secure, online tips program in November.
For local law enforcement officers, it means another way for them to elicit information from the public who may be hesitant about calling.
"Any tip is a good tip for us," said Capt. Wayne Miller, Port Orange police spokesman.
Incoming president Emory Counts, who has been with Crime Stoppers about eight years, hopes to increase the amount of donations to the organization as state funding has decreased during the past few years.
"When we raise more money," he said, "we put it right back into the community."
January 31, 2007
Tips lead to more arrests, drug seizures in 2006
By SETH ROBBINS
Staff Writer
DAYTONA BEACH -- Anonymous callers to Crime Stoppers and tipsters clicking away online propelled the organization to its most successful year ever in 2006.
At its annual meeting Tuesday at Daytona USA, Crime Stoppers reported increases in the number of arrests, drug seizures and rewards given away to tipsters. Tips rose from 73 in 2005 to more than 170 in 2006 as Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida had its first full year serving a four-county region that includes Volusia, Flagler, Putnam, and St. Johns counties. The tips also resulted in the seizure of $110,000 worth of illegal drugs, up from $27,000 the previous year, said Gary Davidson, Crime Stoppers spokesman.
"It's a combined effort between the community and law enforcement," said Jorge Carvajal, Volusia County sheriff's investigator,
Carvajal said a tip received this week helped Daytona Beach police seize about 2 pounds of marijuana, which has a street value of about $1,500.
"The local agencies follow up on the tips knocking on doors," Carvajal said, "and word spreads pretty fast,"
The spike in arrests and seizures resulted in Crime Stoppers board members authorizing more than $32,000 dollars in rewards last year, nearly double the amount of money handed out in 2005. The Crime Stoppers Web site has also provided another outlet for tipsters who can now help catch criminals with a click of a mouse. Carvajal estimated the Web site has received about 90 tips since the inception of its secure, online tips program in November.
For local law enforcement officers, it means another way for them to elicit information from the public who may be hesitant about calling.
"Any tip is a good tip for us," said Capt. Wayne Miller, Port Orange police spokesman.
Incoming president Emory Counts, who has been with Crime Stoppers about eight years, hopes to increase the amount of donations to the organization as state funding has decreased during the past few years.
"When we raise more money," he said, "we put it right back into the community."