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Crimestoppers at Work in Copperas Cove

On February 29th, 2012, at approximately 2:30 a.m. Copperas Cove Police responded to 501 North 1st Street (7-Eleven) in reference to an Aggravated Robbery incident. Upon arrival Officers learned the clerk had been robbed by a suspect brandishing a large knife. The suspect was described as a white male wearing a blue sweatshirt and a blue bandana covering a portion of his face. He fled from the business on foot with an undisclosed amount of US Currency. The victim, a 23 year old male Copperas Cove resident, was uninjured in the incident.

Copperas Cove Detectives began investigating the incident and received Crime Stoppers information regarding the identity of the suspect. The information was validated, confirming his identity as James Paul Cann, a 30 year old Copperas Cove resident. A criminal complaint was filed and a warrant was issued by Coryell County Justice of the Peace Bill Price for James’ arrest on March 4th, 2012, for Aggravated Robbery.

On March 5th, 2012, at approximately 4:20 p.m., James was located and arrest without incident in the 800 block of Michelle Drive, Copperas Cove. The US Currency was not recovered. James was arraigned by Coryell County Justice of the Peace John Guinn on March 6th, 2012, and received a $200,000.00 Surety Bond. James was later transported to the Coryell County Jail where he remains in custody at this time.

What is CrimeStoppers?

Crime Stoppers began in Albuquerque, New Mexico in September 1976 and is a partnership of the community, the media and law enforcement designed to combat crime and keep our streets safe. Today, Crime Stopper organizations in communities around the world take tips to assist investigators in solving crimes including homicides, sexual assaults, drug trafficking operations and robberies, just to name a few. Programs have also received information that has prevented school shooting and criminal acts by terrorist organizations.Crime Stoppers programs are operated as not for profit charities and are managed by a volunteer board of directors who take responsibility fundraising and paying rewards to individuals who anonymous call with information that helps solve crime.Rewards are paid for tips that lead to the arrest and indictment of people charged with felony offences and to date Crime Stoppers statistics show a conviction rate of about 95 percent.

Why Do we Need CrimeStoppers?

Because Crime Stoppers works. It is an extremely effective crime fighting concept that solves crime and keeps our streets safe.

Statistics show an average conviction rate of 95 percent and tips to Crime Stoppers save law enforcement agencies thousands of dollars in investigation time. Calls to Crime Stoppers assist in putting police on the right track by identifying individuals who are responsible for committing crimes.

Today there are approximately 1,200 Crime Stoppers programs in 20 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Central America and the Caribbean.

On a cumulative basis since 1976, tips to Crime Stoppers have been responsible for the arrests of around 600,000 individuals and led to the seizure of close to $7 billlion in stolen property and illicit drugs.

How does Crime Stoppers work?

There is always someone who has information that can help solve crime. Those are the people who can call Crime Stoppers anonymously and provide a tip that will help investigators identify those responsible.

In any investigation police and other law enforcement agencies encounter individuals who will not directly provide information. The three key reasons are:

• Fear of reprisal
• An attitude of apathy
• Reluctance to get involved.

Crime Stoppers breaks through these barriers by giving people the opportunity to provide information without directly speaking to police or having to testify in court. Obviously investigators need witnesses to help prove their case in court, but most importantly they need information that allows them to zero in on a suspect or a criminal operation such as a drug trafficking network.

Tips to Crime Stoppers does not give police evidence they require to arrest an individual but puts them on the right track to solve crime.

Cash rewards from Crime Stoppers also motivate people to call anonymously with information that will be vital to investigators.

Three partners are essential to a Crime Stoppers program.

1. The Community
   Citizens form the foundation of a local Crime Stoppers program. There are people who serve as volunteer directors on the Crime Stoppers board with responsibility to operate the non-profit corporation, raise funds and approve reward payments when crimes are solved. Members of the public support Crime Stoppers at public events and through other fundraising activities. And there are others who call Crime Stoppers when they have information that will solve crime.
2. The Media
   Local media outlets have responsibility for promoting Crime Stoppers by publicizing unsolved crimes and assisting with appeals to raise funds for the program. On an ongoing basis newspapers as well as radio and television stations in the community undertake to broadcast a Crime of the Week which highlights an unsolved case. This appeal can include a video re-enactment of a crime to give the public a visual portrayal of what occurred and some ideas of the information investigators may require to solve an incident. The media also regularly promotes the special Crime Stoppers phone number.
3. The Police
   Appoint a coordinator to operate the Crime Stoppers program on a daily basis and provide staff to maintain an office that takes tips on the Crime Stoppers line. Callers are never asked to identify themselves and there is no equipment in the office that records voices or traces telephone numbers. Anonymity is guaranteed. Those who call Crime Stoppers receive a code number that allows them to claim a reward once an arrest has been made. The police are also required to investigate the various Crime Stoppers tips and report back to the coordinator when a case is solved.