Saturday, December 18, 2010

CrimeStoppers for McHenry County - AWOL?

I can't help wondering what's up with CrimeStoppers for McHenry County, or if there is even anything to be "up".

Is it some kind of secret organization? Do you have to have a membership card? Do you have to be a bigwig and a heavy political contributor to get any answers to questions?

Back in September I had some questions about its operations. I wanted to report that the tip line wasn't working smoothly, in the opinion of three callers. I wanted to ask about the conditions of the $1,000 Reward in the Beth Bentley case; actually, it's not $1,000; it's "up to $1,000".

And why, on the average, only about 30% of the advertised $1,000 reward is paid out.

It took a month for the Secretary of the organization to reply to my first letter, and then she chastised me for asking questions.

About my second letter, dated October 18? No acknowledgement. No reply.

I wonder what the Illinois Attorney General or the Illinois Charitable Organizations agency would have to say about its unwillingness to communicate.

The liaison at the McHenry County Sheriff's Department says she doesn't know who the board members are or how to contact them, except for a P.O. Box in Woodstock. (I find that very hard to believe.)

No one at the Sheriff's Department will admit to supervising the dispatchers who answer the Tip Line. Undersheriff Zinke has never replied to my September 16 email requesting a name and contact information for the CrimeStoppers for McHenry County.

Why do you suppose they are so secretive?

If you know a Board member, will you please let me know?

No comments: