CRIME STOPPERS PROGRAM IS GOOD IDEA FOR CAPE GIRARDEAU

Crime Stoppers works, and it will work for Cape Girardeau.

This national crime-fighting program offers cash to tipsters for information leading to arrests and indictments.

The key to its effectiveness is widespread community involvement. The growing grass-roots interest in Cape Girardeau is just the push this program needs to get rolling. Cooperation with police is also imperative, and Cape Girardeau law enforcement officials have been extremely supportive of starting such a program here.

Paducah, Ky., boasts a successful program that generates about $10,000 each year in new reward money. The total reward pool is about $30,000. Paducah officials agree that crime has gone down and arrests have gone up as a result.

Impressive numbers underscore its success. Since its inception in Paducah 10 years ago, 3,175 tips have been made from anonymous informants, resulting in 890 arrests -- including 595 felony arrests.

The Cape Girardeau Lions Club deserves a hearty pat on the back for its role in promoting Crime Stoppers here. Club president Ben Lewis said a feasibility committee will soon be formed. But a key to its success will be participation by other civic clubs and organizations as well. This important project cannot rest on the shoulders of one organization. It would be nice to see a representative from every civic club on the Crime Stoppers board of directors. Crime Stoppers could become a model of cooperation among civic clubs and businesses, in that all groups agree to bankroll the reward pool.

In addition to the formation of a board, Crime Stoppers requires a hotline to law enforcement on which calls are not recorded. Paducah receives about 20 calls a month to its hotline.

Crime Stoppers not only pays out, it pays out quickly. Tipsters are rewarded when arrests are made -- not convictions. Quicker payments make the process all the more appealing to anonymous callers.

Already, the notion of big reward dollars and community cooperation is helping to combat crime in Cape Girardeau.

Businesses and organizations in Cape Girardeau County have offered $6,600 for information leading to an arrest in a string of 16 burglaries that have targeted the elderly in Cape Girardeau. Cross your fingers: It has been more than a month since the last burglary on Dec. 5, the longest lag between the crimes since they began in May. Perhaps the burglars have moved on with the realization that Cape Girardeau won't tolerate this kind of crime spree.

The reward money has also prompted numerous calls to the police on other crimes as well. It is a tribute to the fact that reward money works.

Businesses and organizations who have offered the reward money should consider writing a check now as seed money to the Crime Stoppers Fund. The Southeast Missourian offered the first $500 and is prepared to give that money to Crime Stoppers as soon as the fund is established. We challenge other contributors to follow suit. This money is simply an investment in community peace of mind.

This program makes sense for Cape Girardeau. It would be a crime if this community doesn't start a Crime Stoppers program.