January 1, 2004
NEW RELEASE

County joins Crime Stoppers

By REKA BALA
Courier News Staff Writer

Somerset County will join thousands of other neighborhoods nationwide that want stronger communication between law enforcement officials and the public to help solve crimes.

Crime Stoppers of Somerset County Inc., which was established late last year, unites police officers, the media and residents by raising awareness about outstanding crimes and publicizing rewards to anyone who helps solve them.

Five other counties, including Union and Morris, also have such programs in place.

Union County, which has had its program for 20 years, said the organization pays cash rewards of up to $5,000 in violent crime cases, Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow said in a statement.

At a news conference Tuesday to introduce the nonprofit initiative, Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne J. Forrest said the program would work with the county's TIPS hot line, which can be reached at (888) 577-TIPS.

"I truly believe this will be the most significant private effort put together in our state," said Douglas W. Kimmelman, chairman of the program's board of directors.

The program, which is governed by 13 independent members on a board of directors, also works with the media by announcing high-profile cases in newspapers and television outlets throughout the county, Kimmelman said.

As a privately funded group, the program will hold fund-raisers and has already raised more than $50,000 in its first month, he said.

The program would also support county police departments, including the purchase of new equipment and scholarships to the Somerset County Police Academy, Forrest said.

But community involvement is the root of the organization, officials said.

Residents who want to contribute tips can contact the organization in two ways, both of which are anonymous: They can call the hot line and either leave a voicemail message with the information or talk to a coordinator who acts as a liaison between the police and the community.

They can also visit the Crime Stoppers' link on the Prosecutor's Web site at www.scpo.net and write a message.

Tipsters receive a confidential code number once they place a call.

"There was a crying need and desire for people to become involved," Kimmelman said.

Those who provide information may become eligible to receive an award if their help assists in solving a crime, Kimmelman said. The reward would be paid in cash and is exempt from taxes, he said.

The Crime Stoppers program began in 1976 in Albuquerque, N.M., when police officers wanted residents to help find a gunman who had killed someone during a hold-up at a store.

Today, there are more than 1,000 Crime Stoppers programs in the United States and 16 other countries. The program has solved more than 1 million cases and helped with more than 500,000 arrests, according to a statement from the Somerset County Prosecutor's office.

"We'll begin to see positive results," said Chief Kevin Valentine of the Somerset County Chief's Association. "(I'm) looking forward to the day when we can say, 'We've solved a crime.'"

Valentine said the program "ends years of frustration" and gives law enforcement officers a better way to become more involved with community members.

Other board members include: Treasurer Gail Rosen, a certified public accountant in Martinsville; Secretary Peter D. Hutcheon Esq. of Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus, P.A., in Bridgewater; Dr. Michael T. Chen of Internal Medicine & Cardiology in Edison; Rocque D. Dameo of Dameo Trucking in Bridgewater; Donald T. DiFrancesco Esq. of DiFrancesco, Bateman, Coley, Yospin, Kunzman, Davis & Lehrer, P.C., in Warren; David Farris of Bernardsville; Somerset County Superintendent of Schools David Livingston; Dennis Miller, president and chief executive officer of Somerset Medical Center in Somerville; Charles W. Nutt, president and publisher of the Courier News in Bridgewater; Chris Preziosi, president of Nissan-Kia World in Denville; Jack Rodriquez of Watchung; and Roscoe C. Young II, chief executive officer and chief operating officer of KMC Telecom in Bedminster.

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