February 10, 2005
NEWS RELEASE

Somerset County’s Crime Stoppers Program Marks its First Anniversary

Somerville, NJ – Crime Stoppers of Somerset County marks its first anniversary by recounting a year of great progress. The program was established to support law enforcement throughout the county by posting rewards to help bring forward information that might assist in the solving of crimes. In addition, Crime Stoppers provides funds to support local police force initiatives as well as providing scholarship monies through the Somerset County Police Academy’s Alternate Route Program in order to attract new potential police officers to our county.

Crime Stoppers, Inc. a non-profit organization has raised funds in charitable donations since inception. These funds have been used to post rewards in over 100 cases in the county.

Crime Stoppers has now entered into an agreement with Yardville National Bank that will allow tipsters to collect anonymously their rewards at the Yardville branch on Main Street in Somerville. “Yardville National Bank is proud to be associated with an organization that is dedicated to the community and provides such a valuable service”. “We are a Community Bank that believes in the type of activism that this fine organization provides” stated Frank Fuzo, Vice President of Yardville National Bank.

A reward of $1,000 is available for information leading to the arrest of any of the county’s top five fugitives that have been posted by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office in conjunction with matching funds from the U.S. Marshals office. In October, one of the top five fugitives who was wanted on armed robbery and aggravated assault charges was arrested following a tip to Crime Stoppers and the anonymous tipster was paid a $1,000 reward.

Individual rewards have been posted in 4 murder cases, multiple armed robbery cases and on numerous fugitives. Two rewards of $250 are posted each week for the “Fugitive of The Week” in conjunction with The Courier News, Messenger-Gazette and Reporter newspapers.

The following schedule of reward amounts has been established for information leading to arrests in the following type of situations:

• Fugitive $50
• Drug Offenses $50
• Drug Offense on School Property $100
• Residential or Building Burglary $100
• Weapons Offense $100
• Weapons Offense on School Property $150
• Featured Fugitive of the Week $250
• Top Five Fugitives from Justice $1000

The reward process involves citizens who have information relating to crimes, criminal activity or wanted persons (fugitives) calling our toll free 24 hour tips line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or by accessing our website at www.somersetcountycrimestoppers.org. Their information will be forwarded to the proper law enforcement agency and they will be given a confidential code number. At no time will anyone ask for his or her name. Once a person becomes eligible for a reward, after an arrest or indictment of a defendant, they can collect their reward using their confidential number.

Crime Stoppers has also been active in developing a scholarship program for prospective applicants to the Somerset Police Academy, located on the campus of Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg. The Academy conducts a 24-week “Alternative Route” program that involves training in over 120 subjects in preparation for hiring into a police or sheriff’s department. Crime Stoppers awarded its first scholarship to this program in December. Information on this program can be found at www.scpo.net or www.raritanval.edu under Police Academy.

“We are encouraged by our early results in providing a vehicle for the citizens of our county to assist law enforcement in solving crimes” commented Doug Kimmelman, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Crime Stoppers. “We believe that our early success in stimulating a significant number of tips will go a long way towards boosting the awareness of our program and increasing the number of solved crimes in the future. We are excited about the relationship that we have formed to support the Somerset County Police Academy and want to thank Yardville National Bank for becoming an important part of our program”, added Kimmelman.

Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne J. Forrest, an instrumental architect of the program, commented, “the Crime Stoppers program has become a valuable tool in assisting law enforcement. Over 100 rewards have been posted, numerous tips have been generated and multiple crimes have been solved and criminals arrested. We look forward to promoting the program on an even broader scale in the years to come”.

Information on the program can be found at www.somersetcountycrimestoppers.org or by accessing the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office website at www.scop.net. If you have information that could assist the police or Prosecutor in solving a case, apprehending a criminal or recovering contraband or stolen property, please call 1-888-577-TIPS (8477).