Crime Stop pays out $8 million to whistleblowers
Published:Thursday | January 31, 2019 | 12:00 AM
Crime Stop is reporting a 67 increase in the number of arrests from tips received in 2018 resulting in $8 million in payout to whistleblowers.
According to Crime Stop the arrests varied from lottery scamming to shooting with intent.
The $8.28 million paid out to whistleblowers last year was almost four times the $2.4million rewarded in 2017.
Some $6.46 million was paid out by the Ministry of National Security through Crime Stop under the Rewards for Guns Campaign.
Crime Stop, a private-sector initiative, partners with the Jamaica Constabulary Force to provide complete anonymity for informants and a cash reward for information that lead to an arrest.
Prudence Gentles, the manager of Crime Stop, said the successes received were due to the airing of the programme's 13-part Television series, CS311.
The series highlighted child abuse, domestic violence, youth and gangs, praedial larceny, human trafficking and crime against returned residents.
"I believe that people are getting really fed up with crime and they may realise that they can do something about it and get rewarded at the same time,” Gentles said.
Crime Stop also received a 25 per cent increase in tips received from whistleblowers in 2018 compared with those received in 2017.
Last year 1,144 tips were received while 912 were received in 2017.
Gentles said for 2018, for every seven calls received there was one success, compared with one success for every eight calls in 2017.
REWARDS PAID OUT
On behalf of Ministry of National Security(ill/firearms & ammunition) - $6,460,000
*On behalf of BGLC
(illegal/gambling) - $5,000
*On behalf of Violence Against
Children Reward Fund - $150,000
*By Crime Stop for:
Murder - $1,000,000
Crime Stop unsolved - $300,000
Drugs - $114,500
Shooting with intent - $60,000
Stolen motor vehicle - $58,000
Dead Body - $40,000
Other - $100,000
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