Union County Crime Stopper's History

 

Union County Crime Stoppers recognizes Dr. Paul Helms.

Dr. Paul Helms started legal work on Union County Crime Stoppers, Inc. in 1980. On July 10, 1981, Union County Crime Stoppers was registered with he Department of the Secretary of State of North Carolina as a non-profit. Dr. Paul became the 1st President of Union County Crime Stoppers and continued his devoted work for many years. Attorney David Lee of Monroe was a charter member and was responsible for incorporating the Union County Crime Stoppers organization. In the early 1990’s Union County Crime Stoppers ran out of funding for tips on crimes. A four-man committee organized a barbeque. Dr. Paul Helms, I B Shive, James Reddish and Chaired by Captain Reid Helms arranged the fund-raiser with the late Max Mitchum.

Did You Know...

The Annual BBQ is the only fund-raiser Union County Crime Stoppers holds each year.  The funds are used to provide cash rewards of up to $5,000 to individuals with information that leads to an arrest of someone responsible for a crime in Union County, North Carolina. The caller may remain anonymous when providing information. Cash rewards have resulted in persons being arrested for some of the most violent crimes in Union County.


The History of Crime Stoppers in the US

Crime Stoppers was the brainchild of a young Albuquerque detective who was concerned by the number of unsolved cases eh and fellow detectives were working, and was particularly frustrated that all possible leads had been exhausted regarding the murder of a young college student. He felt information that would solve the crime was available from someone other than the criminal. That principal eld to the major factors that needed to be addressed so individuals would come forward.

Members of the local community, media and law enforcement, came together in partnership to begin the effort to provide crime-solving assistance to law enforcement.  The first Crime Stoppers program was born on September 8, 1976. A cash reward was offered to individuals that provided anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers with info which would lead to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for the crime. The local media publicized the first “Crime of the Week” and the phone number to call with the information. A call received by the program resulted in the arrest of three men, within 72 hours, who had been involved in the homicide of the young college student that had occurred 4 months earlier.

Today, community and student Crime Stoppers programs reach around the world and are represented by the United States, Canada, Caribbean and Latin America, Europe, Australia, and the South/Western Pacific.

The Crime Stoppers program has enjoyed great success with the information received which has led to the arrest and indictment of those responsible for committing felony offices, boasting and average conviction rate of approximately 95% on cases solved by a tip to the program.