Crime Stoppers

How Did It All Begin?

In 1976, a detective in Albuquerque, New Mexico, felt frustrated that crime in his city was escalating at an alarming rate: the community appeared to be apathetic and frightened of retribution from the criminal element.

Greg MacAleese, a journalist turned policeman, was that officer.  He had exhausted all possible leads in a particularly brutal murder case, when he decided to try an unorthodox approach. He arranged for a re-enactment of the murder to be shown on a local TV station and invited viewers to ring him with information.

In return he offered them anonymity and the possibility of a cash reward if the information led to an arrest.  An arrest was made within five days of the re-enactment being shown and Crime Stoppers, as we know it today, commenced. Today there are more than 1,000 Crime Stoppers programmes run worldwide.