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| TEXT A TIP!
Silent Observer can now receive text messages from those wishing to remain anonymous. Simply text TIP138 plus your message to CRIMES (274637). The keyword TIP138 must appear on the first line of the text message in order to reach Silent Observer.
You will then receive an automatic text message reply that will contain your confidential ID number. Silent Observer will be able to send text messages back to you without knowing your cell phone number to ask questions or gather more information.
(See example below) |
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| Text messaging provides several advantages over traditional voice calls, especially when calling may not be safe. Texting allows people to report a crime in progress without saying a word. |
Stats At A Glance
CRIME # Cases Assault on PO 1
Assault w/intent 1 Burglary 2 Car Burglary 3
Failure to register 1 Fugitive 1
Hit & Run 1 MDOP 1
Narcotics 48 Warrants 6
Even though most tips don't lead to an arrest of an individual, many tips provide important information to police. One tip alerted us to some people who were planning on burglarizing a home on a certain day and time. When those suspects showed up at the house, police were there waiting for them thwarting any crime that may have occurred.
Do you remember these cases?
A woman was struck by a car on Grandville Ave and the driver fled after pinning her and breaking her pelvis. A tip came in giving the address of the man who left the scene and police were able to arrest him.
A Wyoming Police officer made a traffic stop. During the time the officer was talking to the suspect, the suspect fled, dragging the officer. Police later learned the suspect was armed. Although police knew who the suspect was, they could not find him. A tip came in giving the location of this suspect.
Last July, there was a homicide at the Brick House Bar on Division. This was a situation that escalated between two rival gangs. A jail tip came into Silent Observer which led to the arrest and federal conviction of some of the people involved. This tip continues to assist law enforcement on rounding up others associated with this crime and other serious crimes they have committed in our community.
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Director's Download
With this first issue of Tip Talk, I want to share with you what I feel is most important about the Silent Observer Program. The main focus of the program is to allow those with information about crime the opportunity to report that information anonymously. What is significant is that murderers, rapists, drug dealers and burglars who spend their life causing trouble for others, have been removed from our streets and neighborhoods because of calls to Silent Observer. There have been thousands of success stories over the past 36 years with tips to Silent Observer leading police to arrest criminals who have hurt our friends, family or neighbors. Our neighborhoods are much safer when people decide to pick up the phone and report their information about crime. Truly the whole community is impacted by crime and the whole community benefits when a criminal is put behind bars.
People who call Silent Observer are using us to bring about justice to victims of crime. Justice is very important to victims of crime and in many cases, they can begin the healing process when their perpetrator has been identified and sentenced to some sort of punishment. With that said, there is a remarkable group of women here from every corner of Kent County who have lost loved ones....children, siblings, parents, friends...to homicide. Instead of letting their tragedy negatively effect their lives, they have formed a support group, called Conquerors, that meets to comfort and lift up one another. But they are also active in the community demanding change and accountability. Rallying for justice and speaking out against the code of silence, these wonderful women have put a public face on murder. They have reminded us that we must be outraged about what is going on in some of our neighborhoods and have embraced those who have been unfortunate enough to be labeled a victim by supporting them through the complicated road that lies ahead. For more information on Conquerors, go to www.conquerors-sg.org.
People calling the Silent Observer tip line and/or uniting against crime, surely become the voice of those who either cannot speak for themselves or who have been forever silenced.
Chris Cameron
Director, Silent Observer |
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Students Keeping Their World Safe
Because crime can leave a profound mark on our youth, school safety has become an emotional issue that has shot to the forefront of national and local public sentiment. Following the success and design of our Silent Observer Program, we instituted the Fast 50 program in 1998 to prevent and solve school crime. Now, over 65 Fast 50 programs exist in middle and high schools in Kent County and recently Calvin College came on board. The existence of Fast 50 does not indicate that a school has a crime or drug problem, but teaches a proactive rather than reactive approach to administrators, students, parents, and the community by publicizing a safer school environment. In addition to being a way students can safely report school crimes anonymously without fear of retaliation, this program encourages the development of responsibility.
FAST 50 allows students to call the regular Silent Observer tip-line at 774-2345 to report incidences of drugs, weapons, vandalism and stolen property that occur in their schools. If their information leads to the recovery of the contraband or clears up a vandalism, that student is eligible for a $50 reward or $100 if a weapon is recovered. The decision for police intervention is left up to the involved school.
Silent Observer asked the high schools that participate in our Fast 50 Program to enter a contest where they would create a 30-second public service announcement for Silent Observer. Since we recently kicked off our new anonymous text messaging program, we wanted to create a video that the media could air that promoted the many ways Silent Observer can be contacted anonymously. Most importantly, we wanted the message to appeal to our youth so we asked our youth to create it.
Silent Observer chose three winners:
First place - East Kentwood High School received $600 for classroom equipment. Celebration Cinema offered to feature the video on their in-lobby trailer screens for six months. Additionally, Celebration Cinemas gave each student in the winning classroom two free movie tickets. Silent Observer brought in a pizza lunch as well.
Second place - Caledonia High School received $300 plus a pizza lunch.
Third place - City High School received $100 plus a pizza lunch.
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Fast 50 Is Star Performer
Fast 50 was once again very well used as we received 181 tips that resulted in 100 cases of drugs, vandalism, larceny, alcohol, assault, arson, and students pulling fire alarms. Additionally 27 weapons were taken from students in school. Silent Observer authorized $5,500 in reward money to Fast 50 tipsters this year. In the past five years, 527 students have been identified for violations of the school conduct code and we have paid $28,400 in reward monies.
Below are the stats for the
2007-2008 School Year
- 19 students brought 27 weapons to school (knives, BB & airsoft guns, a loaded clip, throwing stars, razor blades, box cutter)
- 52 students brought drugs to school (marijuana, cocaine, aderol, vicadin, oxycotin)
- 4 cases of theft of IPODs and Blackberrys were cleared
- 3 students brought or possessed alcohol in school
- 6 students identified as responsible for arsons and vandalisms in their schools
- 4 students pulled fire alarms 6 times
- 7 students were reprimanded for assaulting others
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Your Donation Goes A Long Way!
So how do we do it? Offer Fast 50, a text a tip program, maintain a web site, pay rewards, a 24/7 tip line, computers, billboards, posters, promotional items and buy supplies? You may not realize this but Silent Observer has to raise all the funds we need for our program...year after year...and it's not easy. We operate our program on $120,000 a year and we make sure the community gets a lot of bang for the buck. Many people believe we are a part of a police agency or that some bureaucracy or company pays our bills but that is not the case. We have two fundraisers each year...a roast of a local celebrity and a golf event which Coldwell Banker AJS-Schmidt Realtors holds for us on our behalf. We are very appreciative of the support and contributions of Coldwell Banker AJS-Schmidt and also The Grand Rapids Press, who has been a major sponsor of this golf event for the past 11 years.
The rest of the money for our yearly budget comes from concerned community members wanting to ensure the continuation of the Silent Observer Program. They understand that they are investing in the safety and security of their neighborhoods, businesses and schools.
The economy isn't great right now as you know. Silent Observer is feeling it for sure. If you make year-end tax-deductible donations to worthy causes, I hope you will consider writing a check to Silent Observer. Plus, if your company participates in the United Way Campaign, you may designate your contribution to Silent Observer by checking the box at the bottom of the form and writing us in. Your donation will go a long way in helping us maintain our current operations. For more information on how you can help or for sponsorship opportunities, please email cameronc@grandrapids.org. |
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Silent Observer
PO Box 230321
Grand Rapids, MI 49523
Tip Line: 616-774-2345
Toll Free: 866-774-2345
Administration: 616-454-9110
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