Crime Stoppers - let's do better

A few weeks ago a friend told me about having called Crime Stoppers of McHenry County at its advertised phone number: 800.762.STOP The call didn't seem to work smoothly, and I jotted down the details.

On Sunday I telephoned my own tip to this Crime Stoppers group. While the line was answered promptly as "Crime Stoppers of McHenry County," I was put on hold and thought I was being transferred. After a delay that was longer than seemed appropriate, an operator (or dispatcher, probably) answered.

It was almost like I was supposed to know what to do. Rather than a helpful, customer-friendly operator, I got sort of a "why are you calling?" reception. I informed her that I was calling with a tip on a certain case.

I was willing to provide a limited amount of information but not complete information, knowing that I had reached an agency that was not the investigating agency. I did not want the content of my message spread around the sheriff's department.

Because I understand the system, I informed the operator that I would be contacting the investigating agency with more details about my tip. After completing the call, I emailed the detective, his superior and the chief of that department.

Then came two questions out of the blue:

1. Are you willing to testify? and
2. Do you want a reward?

I realized the operator/dispatcher was just following a script, but it is a dumb script.

The first of those questions, asked in a point-blank manner, might tend to drive away a cautious caller.

The second question, which had aroused the ire of the person who had told me about the previous call to Crime Stoppers, seemed absurd to me.

Crime Stoppers offers a reward to people who call. That's how you get some of them to call. Why shouldn't a person expect or want a reward, if his tip leads to the solution of the crime?

Then the operator/dispatcher gave me a Tip Number and that was that.

What's next? Who knows?

The operator/dispatcher offered me no further information about follow-up. There should be a scripted explanation of what happens next. Some Crime Stopper websites have automated follow-up. You log in with your tip number and learn if the information has been helpful. If it has, you would be instructed to call in again regarding steps to receive the reward.

What response did I receive from the investigating agency to which I sent the follow-up email? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Not even a Thank You. Just how long would it take for a detective to hit Reply and write T-h-a-n-k-s? They could even have a formatted reply, in case he has a writer's block that day.

Except for my email, they wouldn't know how to contact me. And they certainly wouldn't know how to contact the other tipper, who was given only a Tip Number and no further instructions.

What happens if a person provides a tip directly to the police department, rather than through Crime Stoppers? Will s/he qualify for a reward, if one is offered by Crime Stoppers? I'll be finding out and letting you know.

Why doesn't McHenry County have an excellent Crime Stoppers website and tip-generating system? Why isn't it a Certified program through the Illinois State Crime Stoppers Association? Of all the Crime Stoppers organizations in McHenry County only Marengo has a Certified program.

If I get elected Sheriff, I will take the lead in re-organizing the McHenry County Coalition into a First Class operation.