CrimeStoppers of Memphis and Shelby County announced today that the organization will start paying up to $2,000 in cash for tips leading to arrests in local murders — doubling the amount that has been available to be paid out in homicide cases until now.
In a Tuesday press release, CrimeStoppers said the decision was made by the agency’s board of directors in the face of a precipitous rise in the murder rates in Memphis and Shelby County in the last few years.
As of yesterday — Monday, June 7, 2021 — 103 murders have been committed in Shelby County this year, a 13 percent hike over last year’s pace. Arrests of suspects have occurred in about half of those cases, the release stated, five with the help of citizen tips to CrimeStoppers.
“This increase in the award we pay for homicides is a significant step for CrimeStoppers. It’s also a windfall for the citizen who has information about a crime and who may find an award an incentive to contact us at 528-CASH (2274),” said E. Winslow (Buddy) Chapman, executive director of the organization. “We believe we must do more in the struggle to slow the rate of violent crime, especially homicides.
We hope by doubling our award more citizens will contact us with information helping law enforcement solve more of these killings.”
From the press release: “CrimeStoppers has been paying as much as $1,000 for successful tips since its inception in 1983. Calls to 528-CASH (2274) are anonymous. Tipsters are given an ID number, so that they can check later to see if the information they provided led to an arrest and a cash award.
“CrimeStoppers is an independent, nonpartisan and nonprofit organization governed by volunteer citizens. The cash awards are paid out each month thanks to donations from individuals and businesses.
For more information, contact www.crimestopmem.org.”
