HOW IT WAS STARTED
Crime Stoppers of
the Olympia/Thurston County area is a joint effort of private
citizens, the media and local law enforement agencies to apprehend
criminals.
It was establlished
through the joint efforts of John McCarthy, a county resident,
and Commander Ed Sorger of the Lacey Police Department, They
first met in 1989 and began to form the non-profit corporation.
Each local law enforcement agency was asked to appoint two directos
and the program began on March 1, 1991. The groups start-up
costs were provided by a one-time grant from the state legislature
as were other Crime Stoppers groups in the state. More than
1200 Crime Stopper programs are now in operation in every state
and several foreign countries.
Who is Involved? The local Crime
Stoppers program depends on the full cooperation of the police
departments of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater and the Thurston
County Sheriffs Office working closely with The Olympian,
local radio stations KXXO, KGY, cable television and local
citizens. An eleven member board approves the rewards and
raises the funds for its operation. No government funds are
used. The information received and other activities are coordinated
by officers of one of the above law enforcement agencies.
