The Beginning
In 1976, CrimeStoppers was founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico by Detective Greg MacAleese after he was assigned to work a robbery turned homicide at a local gas station. The clerk, a college school student named Michael Carmen, was robbed and shot to death with a shotgun. After weeks of investigation the leads were exhausted and the case grew cold. MacAleese felt someone had information that would solve the case. Detective MacAleese approached the local television station KOAT with the idea of broadcasting a reenactment of the crime. KOAT agreed, and the reenactment aired advertising a $1,000 reward on September 8, 1976.
The next day information was received that led to the arrest of the suspects, and CrimeStoppers was born. Detective MacAleese was honored as the “Officer of the Year” by the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
In Durham
Durham City/County CrimeStoppers, Inc was founded in June 1983 as a partnership between the community, law enforcement, and the media. Since that time it too has proven to be a powerful tool in combating and solving crime.
From January 2017 to December 2023 Durham CrimeStoppers received over 12,800 calls resulting in:
- 10 homicide case being solved
- 31 armed robberies cases solved
- 16 burglary cases solved
- 58 narcotics cases developed
In that period it also resulted in:
- the arrest of 228 fugitives
- 76 illegal guns that were removed from the street
- $351,055 in recovered stolen property
- $324,574 in recovered narcotics.
In 2014 and 2022 Durham City/County CrimeStoppers was awarded with the productivity award by the North Carolina CrimeStoppers Association. In 2015 and 2018 Durham City/County CrimeStoppers was awarded the productivity award by the Southeastern CrimeStoppers Association. These awards are granted to similarly sized programs that lead the state in solved cases, arrests, and recovered property.
People may be reluctant to come forward and give information to the police for a number of reasons. Durham CrimeStoppers gives callers and avenue and opportunity to provide information and collect rewards in felony cases, without ever having to give their name.