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Greene County Crimestoppers awarded $500 grant
Greene County Crimestoppers recently got a boost in their efforts to solve local crimes when the WalMart Foundation selected the local organization to receive a $500 grant.
The check was presented by Linton WalMart Store Manager Jason Wells to Greene County Crimestoppers Executive Director Kenneth "Bud" Klein, President Kelly Foglesong and Law Enforcement Coordinator, Greene County Sheriff Terry Pierce.
Foglesong says all of the grant money will stay in Greene County to help pay cash rewards for anonymous tips that report crimes and lead to crimes being solved.
"Our organization has had a big effect locally in keeping several criminals off the streets. We pay cash for anonymous tips that lead to arrests in the Greene County area and these tips have lead to many arrests being made involving drugs, thefts, burglaries, warrants and sex crimes," said Foglesong.
Crimestoppers operates under the theory that for almost any crime there is someone who has some information about it that may help solve the case. A cash reward for good tips acts as an incentive for someone with such information to call in and help solve a crime.
Foglesong said the amount of the cash reward varies on each case.
"The amount of money paid for a tip is based on the severity of the crime and the quality of the information," said Foglesong.
The anonymous tip line does not have Caller ID and does not run through the regular police phone system though it is answered at the Linton Police Department by trained police personnel.
The main phone number is (812) TIP-LINE. The organization has also implemented a toll-free number so that all Greene County residents have access at no cost to the caller. The toll-free number is (866) 446-4672.
Greene County Crimestoppers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was founded in 2001 by former Linton Police Chief Keith McDonald. It is civilian run, staffed by volunteers and operates solely on donations.
"Crimestoppers does not receive any public funding or tax dollars -- we rely 100 percent on donations to operate and pay the cash rewards," said Foglesong.
Anyone wanting to make a donation can mail it to Greene County Crimestoppers, P.O. Box 458, Linton, Ind., 47441 -- donations are tax-deductible.
Crimestoppers is also planning a fundraiser from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on April 25.
"Volunteers will be standing out with a red bucket and reflective gear at several intersections around the county," said Foglesong adding this is the first time they've tried this type of fundraiser.
They are hoping drivers through the main intersections in Jasonville, Linton, Switz City and Bloomfield will make contributions to fill the buckets in the effort to solve local crime.