*News
Release* Date: October 27, 2010
Middlesex
County Prosecutor’s Office
Crime Stoppers program unveiled in
Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J. Kaplan and Anthony A.
Caputo, retired director of the New Brunswick Police Department, today
announced the formation of Crime Stoppers of Middlesex County Inc., a
non-profit organization that will offer rewards to the public for information
leading to the arrests of suspects for a variety of crimes. Mr. Caputo will
serve as president and chairman of the board of directors of the new
organization.
Crime Stoppers is a nationally-recognized agency dedicated
to helping police solve crimes by offering cash payments to entice people to
call a special phone number and anonymously provide information.
‘’Police in Middlesex County have long had a strong working
relationship with our residents, whose assistance has been invaluable in
preventing crime, solving crime and providing information that has led to
successful prosecutions,’’ Prosecutor Kaplan said.
‘’Crime
Stoppers of Middlesex County Inc. offers a financial incentive and guarantees anonymity
to those who might otherwise be reluctant to help us,’’ Prosecutor Kaplan said.
‘’This
program will engage our residents in a way that they can actively help keep
their families and neighborhoods safe,’’ said Freeholder Mildred S. Scott,
Chair of the County’s Law and Public Safety Committee. ‘’Crime Stoppers will
raise awareness and will greatly expand our ability to spot crime and stop
it.’’
‘’Crime Stoppers of Middlesex County Inc. has
been made possible through a group of corporations that has generously donated
financial assistance to get this program started,’’ Mr. Caputo said. ‘’We also
have assembled a dedicated team of volunteers that will help run this
organization. This is a great way for the community and law enforcement to work
together.’’
The corporate members of Crime Stoppers of Middlesex County
Inc. are
Crime Stoppers of Middlesex County Inc. will be operated by
a 10-member board of directors that includes Greg Schiano, head football coach
at
The board, which is expected to hold its first meeting
within a few weeks, will determine how and when rewards will be offered and
will establish a dedicated ‘’tips’’ phone line, so people can anonymously call
police, provide information and then collect rewards. The amounts of rewards
will be determined by the board.
For
nearly a year, Prosecutor Kaplan has been working to help organize the Crime
Stoppers program for the county, first by meeting with other Crime Stoppers
organizations for advice on creating the program, and then by seeking corporate members to
finance the program and provide representatives for the board of directors.
‘’To
set up this organization in Middlesex County, we studied how Crime Stoppers
works elsewhere in New Jersey, and we have learned that in some cases, people
don’t want the reward money, they just want to help keep their communities and
families safe,’’ Prosecutor Kaplan said.
The
new organization also has the full support of the police departments in
‘’The Middlesex County Association of Chiefs
of Police is looking forward to utilizing Crime Stoppers, a nationally-recognized
program that has assisted law enforcement agencies solve thousands of crimes,’’
said Monroe Township Police Chief John J. Kraivec, who also is president of the
chiefs association.
‘’The ability to partner
with corporate members to offer rewards for information on crimes committed in
Robert
J. Zullo Jr., an attorney with the law firm of Martin, Kane & Kuper of East
Brunswick, prepared a certificate of incorporation, which was filed in
Its
parent organization, Crime Stoppers USA, which offers advice and training to
local Crime Stoppers organizations, reported that since the program began in
1976, Crime Stoppers has been responsible for 539,837 arrests, has cleared
865,412 cases and has paid a total of $78,827,492 in rewards nationwide.
Any
corporation or business wishing to be a financial sponsor to Crime Stoppers of
Middlesex County Inc. may contact Sgt. Christopher Penna at the Middlesex
County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745- 4102.