Woodstock Crime Stoppers group meets

The board of the Woodstock Area Crime Stoppers (WACS) met this morning for its summer quarterly meeting. Minutes of the last meeting were approved, and a report was given on the June Crime Stoppers breakfast at the Moose Lodge.

Lack of effective promotion may have been an important reason for lower attendance at this year's breakfast. WACS attempted to circulate information to Woodstock 200 students by fliers, but Woodstock 200 schools refused to distribute fliers about the breakfast, insisting on electronic distribution only in the cyber "backpack".

I wonder if Woodstock Schools have ever surveyed parents to learn what percentage of backpack materials are even looked at by parents. My guess? Next to none.

The WACS received only $2,349 from the McHenry County Circuit Court in the same three-year time period that the Crime Stoppers for McHenry County group collected $50,995. I wonder what would account for such a large difference and how WACS could get more money, with which they could do much more.

During that period eight Crime Stoppers' groups received distributions from the Circuit Court. One of them (McHenry Crime Stoppers) discontinued operations in October 2010.

According to Illinois State Crime Stoppers Association, only the Marengo Crime Stoppers is listed as a Certified Program. Article XIII of the By-Laws includes that a Certified member must be a 501(c)(3) organization; i.e., an IRS tax-exempt organization. This may explain why most of the Crime Stoppers' groups in McHenry County are not Certified members of the state association.

Crime Stoppers for McHenry County (the legal name) is not listed, although a "McHenry County Crime Stoppers Coalition" is listed. Under the Harvard Crime Stoppers listing, the "McHenry County Coalition" is listed as being the reporting group for statistics of the Algonquin, Crystal Lake, Lake in the Hills, McHenry, Woodstock, Cary, Fox River Grove, Marengo and Harvard Police departments. In fact, there is no such organization as "McHenry County Coalition" or "McHenry County Crime Stoppers Coalition."

It would seem to me that the state association did not make up a name for the McHenry County Coalition. It must have been submitted to them. I wonder who would have submitted the name of a group that does not exist (legally).

What is known about Crime Stoppers for McHenry County?

How does Crime Stoppers work? How does Crime Stoppers for McHenry County work?

A brochure from "Crime Stoppers for McHenry County" (CSMC) explains it all. Or does it? It explains that Crime Stoppers is a "new way" for the public to provide tips to police. It's not really so new. Crime Stoppers' organizations began in the 1970s, so that's at least 40 years. What's "new" about it?

It pays "up to $1,000" in rewards. CSMC, one of several Crime Stoppers groups in McHenry County, paid out $3,400 in 2009 for 12 tips. That's an average of less than $300 per tip. CSMC received over $50,000 from the McHenry County Circuit Court in a recent three-year period. Where did all the money go?

So far, I have been unsuccessful in obtaining annual reports for 2010, 2008 and any other information from CSMC. You'd think I was asking for the combination to the vault at Fort Knox!

When you call Crime Stoppers with a tip, you are supposed to be given a code number, since your tip is anonymous (you don't give your name). You are supposed to be instructed to call back periodically to learn whether your tip was used and if you are eligible for a reward.

When I called in a lead last year, I don't recall being given a code number. Perhaps I was. What I do know is that I was not told to call back periodically. And I was really concerned about an early question from the Tip Line operator, asking me if I wanted a reward.

Why should a caller be asked such a question? The Tip Line is a tip line that advertises a reward. I would think that question might turn others off, as it did me; I almost hung up right then!

CMSC has a Board of Directors and officers. Or so it seems. It appears to me that the only way to learn who some of them are is to pay $10 to the Illinois Secretary of State and purchase a copy of the last Annual Report that was filed. The liaison at the McHenry County Sheriff's Department refuses to identify anyone connected with CSMC; a FOIA request was denied. A letter from Helen Torscher identified her as Secretary last October. A reader referred me to the website of Crime Stoppers International, where Ms. Torscher was identified as President, and Richard Heizer was listed as Treasurer.

Ms. Torscher has failed to respond to other letters or email, and Mr. Heizer has not yet returned a telephone call placed to him on March 4. (I know, I know; some volunteers are really busy.)

The very basic (and only) brochure provided to me on Friday in response to my request for printed information about CSMC reads that the board of directors is made up of concerned citizens." It seems to me that the make-up is of citizens concerned with keeping information from the public view. Since it collected over $50,000 in three years, courtesy of fines imposed by the McHenry County Circuit Court, CSMC should reveal its finances at least so far as public money is concerned.

The brochure also reads that "Donations from private citizens and local businesses support Crime Stoppers." Have you ever been solicited to donate to Crime Stoppers for McHenry County? Or, for that matter, by any Crime Stoppers organization in McHenry County (there are several)? Was it by letter? By phone? Do you still have a copy of any letter soliciting a donation? I'd like to know of it and see it, if you have it.

Crime Stoppers - fiction and fact

Crime Stoppers for McHenry County ... does it exist?

In a year of asking questions, here's what I've learned. You shouldn't ask questions.

A year ago, Crime Stoppers for McHenry County (CSMC) was a member of CrimeStoppers USA, a national organization. One of he national association's requirements is that member organizations be tax-exempt organizations, properly registered with IRS.

There's a question on the application about that. The question is, "501(c)3 (sic) and state non-profit status valid and current? Yes? No?" CSMC must have answered it "Yes" or its membership wouldn't have been approved. There is no option for "Maybe?" or "Pending?"

The problem? IRS didn't have any record of CSMC. CSMC was not on the IRS Publication 78 list.

And today? CSMC is no longer listed as a member of CrimeStoppers USA. Want to check? Go to http://www.crimestoppersusa.com/ Wait for the site to load fully; then click on the "Programs" tab in the top row.

Crime Stoppers could still accept donations as a non-profit corporation in Illinois, but the donations would not be tax-deductible. Or could it? To receive donations, a charity in Illinois must be registered with the Charitable Trust Bureau of the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. CSMC is not. Previously, the AG's office told me an application had been started 24 years ago but never completed.

A letter to me from the national association indicated that the corporate books of CSMC may be in some state of disarray. How did that happen? Even in a volunteer organization, somebody has the duty, the obligation, the responsibility of being Secretary. The Secretary is in charge of the Corporate documents, such as the Articles of Incorporation, the By-Laws, the Minute Book, the Annual Report. And it is the President's obligation to run it in a business-like fashion and to seek legal advice as needed. CSMC has a lawyer, but CSMC must ask him to advise and to perform legal work, and pay him for it.

CSMC gets a lot of money from the McHenry County Circuit Court. Orders of a judge get signed, requiring those guilty of crimes to pay certain amounts to Crime Stoppers, of which there are several groups in McHenry County. Then the Court distributes the money CSMC gets the lion's share of dollars paid to Crime Stoppers groups in the county. And it refuses to say what it does with the money received.

How much is paid out in confidential tip rewards? Not much. In 2009 only about $3,400 was paid out. In three years CSMC received over $50,000 from the Circuit Court. What does it do with the rest of the money?

Crime Stoppers - writing their own rules?

Boone County Watchdog (www.boonecountywatchdog.blogspot.com/) has been dogging Boone County Crime Stoppers (BCCS) for some time, trying to find out why they can keep operating but not comply with state laws on registration as a charitable trust.

Now, gee, that sounds familiar. Visit that website and read about the efforts to force BCCS into compliance. Actually, no citizen should have to do more than make one phone call and, after that, the "officials" should take over. Isn't that the way it is supposed to work? After all, it's the folks at the Attorney General's office and at a State's Attorney's office who get paid the big bucks to make compliance happen.  Well, at least that's what some would think.

Which brings me back to my favorite, almost-invisible Crime Stoppers organization in our county - Crime Stoppers for McHenry County (CSMC). I say "almost-invisible", because they seem to be trying to operate in secret. It took me months to pry a contact address out of the McHenry County Sheriff's Department, and all I could get was a P.O. Box. MCSD refused to provide names of any of the officers or board members of CSMC.

Is CSMC a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization? To be a member of CrimeStoppers USA, it must be. There is just one small, sticky detail - IRS doesn't know about CSMC!

And way back in 1987 CSMC started the process to register with the Illinois Attorney General Charitable Trust Bureau - a requirement if you are going to solicit money in Illinois. The process must have been a little hard for them to follow, because in 24 years they have never completed it. And they are not registered today with the Bureau. And up until now the Bureau has apparently never missed them.

It turns out they might not even know where their corporate records are.

So far, I've been able to identify only Helen Torscher (President or Secretary?) and Richard Heizer as Board members. Helen won't communicate with me, and Richard hasn't returned a phone call I placed to him in early March. So I guess that means he won't communicate with me, either.

The way it works with me is, the more they try to hide information, the harder I did.

I started out trying to reach someone in charge to tell them about a problem with the tip line, which is answered by a dispatcher at the McHenry County Sheriff's Department. No one at the sheriff's department would even say whether they supervised the dispatchers on the tip line which, of course, they do.

Why so secretive?

Why is Crime Stoppers for McHenry County so secretive about its work and its membership?

After finding it almost impossible to get in contact with that organization through the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department last summer, I finally pried a mailing address out of the deputy at the sheriff’s department who is the Coordinator (or Police Liaison). A September 10th letter to that P.O. Box resulted only in a reply that sounded more like a reprimand for asking questions and which did not provide any answers.

A second letter, on October 18, has gone unanswered.

Helen Torscher is the Secretary of the group, according to her October 10^th reply to my September 10^th letter. She expressed no interest in my comment that I myself had experienced “less than satisfactory” service when I called the tollfree tip line and that I knew of two other people who had voiced similar dissatisfaction.

The Crime Stoppers International database lists her as President (not Secretary), and it lists a Richard Heizer as Treasurer. The business name there is incorrect, too, unless it’s wrong on the stationery of Crime Stoppers for McHenry County.

Helen suggested I “peruse” the CrimeStoppers USA website but included an erroneous website address. On the correct website it informs viewers that members must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations, and it lists the local group as “McHenry County Crime Stoppers”, rather than by its (correct) legal name.

Her letter also told me that Crime Stoppers for McHenry County is a “non-profit fund raising group.”

According to the Illinois Secretary of State’s website, Crime Stoppers for McHenry County is an Illinois not-for-profit group, but the Charitable Trust Bureau of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office does not know of it as a charity.

And the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) does not know of it as a tax-exempt organization. Aren’t most “fund raising groups” both non-profit and tax-exempt? It’s the tax-exempt status (not the non-profit status) that gives a donor a tax deduction for any donation.

And, if it’s not a 501(c)(3) organization, how can it be a member of CrimeStoppers USA?

Helen refused to identify the officers or board members for me, and a FOIA request to the sheriff’s department resulted in heavily-redacted photocopies of documentation they have. The sheriff’s department withheld the names of board members, asserting that their safety might be endangered by their association with paying tips for leads. I’d say their safety is more in danger by driving home from an annual meeting at the Woodstock Country Club after Crime Stoppers’-paid drinks, appetizers and dinner. Last year’s invitation did not mention “cash bar”, so the assumption is that there was an open bar, paid for by fund-raising or contributions from local governments.

If it is a non-profit, fund-raising group, then its financial records ought to be open. In other words, operations should be transparent. I have no interest in the identities of the 12 people who were paid a total of $3,400 in 2009; that’s confidential information. Everything else should be open. Why are they hiding?

Stonewalling by MCSD

Recently I became interested in Crime Stoppers, due to the Beth Bentley case. How does Crime Stoppers really work? There are several Crime Stoppers groups, and my personal experience with the McHenry County tip line escalated my interest in learning more about its operations.

For example, in the Beth Bentley case there are rewards offered by two Crime Stoppers' groups, the Woodstock and the McHenry County groups. As I examined the reward offers more closely, I learned that the rewards are "up to" $1,000 from each group. What does "up to" mean?

I couldn't get answers from the press liaison at the sheriff's department, so on September 16 I emailed Undersheriff Andy Zinke, as follows:

"Will you please let me know the name and telephone number of the person in charge of the McHenry County Coalition of Crime Stoppers?

"And, is the Crime Stoppers tip line, (800) 762-STOP (-7867), answered by dispatchers of the McHenry County Sheriff's Dept.?"

Today is September 26. Perhaps he has been on vacation (no out-of-office response from his email system) or very busy with crimes not yet announced by the sheriff's department. Or maybe he doesn't know the answers. Or can't get the answers. Or perhaps there is another reason, such as "Keep the citizens in the dark" or "Don't answer any emails from Philpott."

As I look at it, the McHenry County Sheriff's Department is there to serve the public. So, why no response?

If they want to play hardball, the game has started. One of the early questions will be:

How is "Crime Stoppers of McHenry County" organized?
Is it registered as an assumed name with the County Clerk?
Is it legally registered with the State of Illinois?
Who are its officers?
What are its funding sources?
What are its expenses?

And what is the McHenry County Coalition of Crime Stoppers? Is it different? How is it different? Registered with an assumed name? Registered with the Illinois Secretary of State?

Who makes the decisions about how much reward is paid for a tip?

It is certainly too bad that information is not provided when requested. The question then gets bigger, such as why isn't the information being provided!

Beth Bentley - Day 34

Beth Bentley, 41, went missing on May 23, 2010.

Why hasn't there been a press conference in Woodstock? Wouldn't you think that the Woodstock Police Department and Scott Bentley would have conducted several press conferences by now?

Beth was reported missing to the Woodstock Police Department on Monday, May 24, as of 10:48PM, according to the second missing-person press release of WPD. Not the first.

When was the first press release delivered to the press? On its preparation date of May 27?

On May 30 Chicago Tribune "Breaking News" carried a story that "friends and relatives" were asking the public's help, not that the Woodstock P.D. had announced that she was missing.

On or about June 9 the Woodstock PD finally put the May 27 press release on its website but buried the second press release behind a tab that most internet users would believe held only older news. That June 9 press release has since been moved to the WPD first page of press releases.

But still there has been no organized, ongoing public appeal for information that might lead to finding Beth. CrimeStoppers announced a $2,000 reward, which has since increased to $5,000.

The 6:08PM train story has pretty much been blown off the tracks. Speculation is rampant. Beth's Facebook "missing" page has 6,626 followers. A few followers from out-of-town are hard chargers and anxious to see less talk, more walk.

Even the fundraiser that has been announced will not be until July 16. Where is the sense of urgency about finding her?

Those who were with her in Mt. Vernon need to be under the microscope until every grain of truth about the week-end comes out.

What law enforcement agency is really in charge? Woodstock PD? Mt. Vernon PD? Jefferson County SO? Illinois State Police? If WPD is the lead investigatory LE agency, how do you manage a missing-person case from 330 miles away?

The fundraiser ought to happen right now, so money can be raised for a private investigator and an organized public effort of search parties in Mt. Vernon. A PayPal link could be placed on the http://www.bethismissing.com/ website (which has gone stale), with assurance that any money donated would be publicly accounted for and used for searching for Beth. If 6,000 people donated $2, it would be a good start.

Crime Stoppers - not certified program

Who and what is the Crime Stoppers program in McHenry County?

Many know the basics. It's a tollfree hotline for reporting crime tips.

When I couldn't find a website for the McHenry County Crime Stoppers earlier in the week, I started rooting around for information and came across the Illinois State Crime Stoppers Association. You can view its website at http://www.illinoiscrimestoppers.org/

On that site you'll see that some of the programs are Certified; many are not. You see links to websites of some programs; some links are broken.

For McHenry County? "Stats for Algonquin, Crystal Lake, Lake in the Hills, McHenry, Woodstock, Cary, Fox River Grove, Marengo, and Harvard Police are reported by McHenry County Coalition." But the McHenry County Coalition of Crime Stopper programs, representing nine law enforcement agencies, but not naming the McHenry County Sheriff's Department, is not a Certified program.

Why don't we have an online crime-tip reporting system, like the Des Plaines Program? Not even all of the sites behind the links are the same. Some contain reporting of recent crimes; some have photos of Most Wanted.

When I am elected Sheriff of McHenry County on November 2, 2010, I'll see that McHenry County develops a modern program and becomes a Certified member of the Crime Stoppers Association. And missing persons in the County will be promptly listed.

Crime Stoppers of McHenry County

Where's the website?

Is there any public-service organization today that doesn't have a website? Well, how about Crime Stoppers of McHenry County? Bingo!

Today I was trying to find the Reward poster that was created by the Bentley family. It offers a $5,000 Reward for information that leads to finding Beth Bentley. The poster appeared in the Centralia Sentinel yesterday and may run in this week's The Woodstock Independent.

Wouldn't it be nice if Crime Stoppers had a website for McHenry County and the numerous communities in this county? How long has Beth been missing now? Three weeks!

The Crime Stoppers hotline directed me to the website of the McHenry County Sheriff's Department. If you search around there, you'll find a link to the Sheriff's Department Facebook page, where an entry mentions the reward (mentions the original Crime Stoppers' $2,000 reward, but not the increased amount).

I'll bet that, here in McHenry County and all the cities, towns and villages, there is probably a handful of skilled law enforcement officers who could toss together a website for Crime Stoppers in a hour or so. And who would work with a handful of dedicated, concerned citizens to create and maintain it.

Well, folks. What do you think?