Richard Gambini

What is Crime Stoppers?

Crime Stoppers is managed by the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office and receives partial financial support from the City of Rockford Police Department for operating costs. The Division is staffed by one full-time reserve deputy, who acts as director, and one full-time civilian assistant who is employed by Crime Stoppers.

In 2006, Crime Stoppers received several thousand calls, of which 1,462 were directly related to criminal activity, and the information was forwarded to the appropriate agencies for their investigative follow-up. Because of Crime Stoppers:

• One thousand four hundred eighty-eight (1,488) calls were directly related to criminal activity and the information was forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement agency.
• One thousand one hundred eighty-three (1,183) cases were cleared.
• Eight Hundred four (804) people were arrested.
• $724,294.00 in property, narcotics, and cash recovered.

Crime Stoppers informants were paid a total of $84,015 in 2006, and for every dollar paid to Crime Stoppers informants, $50.87 was recovered in narcotics, property, and currency.

Information supplied to Crime Stoppers solved or directly related to solving of offences ranging from narcotics, robbery and burglary to forgery, weapons violations and theft.

No tax dollars are used to pay Crime Stoppers rewards. Funds are generated from contributions made by the general public, foundations, corporations and civic organizations.

Informing the Public
Area media outlets are committed to working with Crime Stoppers in disseminating information. WIFR-TV (Channel 23) airs the Crime Stopper Alert five times per week during their 6 pm and 10 pm news casts, and the Rockford Register Star and Rockford Labor News have also been helpful in publishing wanted suspects and featuring crimes which need to be solved. The Rockford Labor News continues their commitment by featuring four wanted felons in their “Have You Seen Them?” column on the front page of the paper every week.

Crime Stoppers Fugitive Alert Bulletin
Created in cooperation with the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office and the Rockford Police Department, the Rockford Area Crime Stoppers Fugitive Alert Bulletin features nine individuals wanted on warrants, and is disseminated throughout Winnebago County. Click Here to view this bulletin online.

Quick 50
Crime Stoppers also continues to address school-related crime through the “Quick 50” Program, in which students are encouraged to make their schools safer by offering up to $50 for information which leads to the suspension or arrest of students who are involved in criminal acts.

Rockford Area Crime Stoppers on the web: http://www.rockfordcrimestoppers.com/