 | Detective Ron Trollope
is a 16-year veteran of the Wichita Police Department who currently serves as the Law Enforcement Coordinator for Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County. He can be reached at the Crime Stoppers number 267-2111. |
Wichita Police Department
2003-08-01 09:57:00
Reporting a crime anonymously
: How does one go about reporting a crime if he or she doesn't want to get involved?
ANSWER: When it comes to reporting crime, situations can be very different. For example, if you believe you have a drug house in your neighborhood, you can call your local substation and give them the information. If you observe suspicious activity you can call your local substation or 911 and report that anonymously; you simply tell the dispatcher you do not wish to be contacted. The same is true for many other neighborhood issues such as graffiti, barking dogs, illegal dumping, etc. The only downside to not providing your name is you will not receive feedback on the outcome of the situation. If you have been the victim of a crime and you want the police to pursue the case, then you will be required to complete an official report and will have to provide personal information to the Police Department. There are certain crimes we simply cannot investigate or prosecute without a victim. On the other hand, if you have information on a crime that you are not directly involved in, the Police Department welcomes your anonymous information and will even pay you for information that leads to a felony arrest. Information about a crime or criminal activity can be given to police anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 267-2111. If you have information about any felony crime or fugitive in Wichita or Sedgwick County, call Crime Stoppers and you could be eligible for a cash reward. No one will ask your name and we don't take your phone number, or have caller ID or call return. You will be given a code number for identification. You will need to follow up on your tip with the coordinator during daytime hours. If your information leads to an arrest, the coordinator will advise the Board of Directors, who will vote on the amount of the reward. When you call back, you will be notified of a location to pick up your cash without anybody knowing who you are. The information you give will be sent to the appropriate investigative section for follow up. If the information you provide leads to a felony arrest, you could earn a cash reward up to $1,000. Calling Crime Stoppers gives a person the ability to report information about criminal activity without being identified. Crime Stoppers was established in Wichita in 1980. Since that time they have received more than 18,000 tips and arrested more than 2000 individuals. Tips called in to Crime Stoppers have led to the recovery of more than $4 million in property and the seizure of more than $300,000 in illegal narcotics. Crime Stoppers, a non-profit organization that relies on donations from corporations and the public, has paid out more than $300,000 in reward money in the Wichita area.
