OUR HISTORY

In October of 1980, members of the Abilene Police Department contacted the “Citizen’s Against Crime” committee. They were shown a film detailing the "Crime Stoppers" program that had been implemented in several cities in Texas. At the preview of the film that was shown, Bill Terry of KTAB TV was present and offered his enthusiastic support for the program.

On November 12, 1980, the "Citizen's Against Crime" committee of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce recommended the implementation of a "crime stoppers" program for Abilene. This recommendation was made to the executive committee of the chamber of commerce.

In March of 1981, "Abilene Crime Stoppers, Inc." was formed as a non-profit organization and certified by the State of Texas Crime Stoppers Advisory Council. The program was designed as a community base program where a TRI-LATERAL PARTNERSHIP was formed between the citizens, the media and law enforcement in a combined effort to help combat crime within the community.

THE PROGRAMS PROGRESS
(Through The Years Since March 1981)

The program over the last twenty nine years has grown from the basic program serving Abilene, to a very productive and professional program now serving the citizens of Abilene and Taylor County.

The Abilene's Crime Stoppers program expanded in August of 1991.  Abilene High School was the first campus to have a crime stoppers program.  This established our Scholastic Crime Stoppers program.  In 1992, Cooper joined and in 1995, the six middle schools were brought under the programs umbrella.  In 1996 the three special campuses, which at that time were: Project Pass, Houston SAC, and Travis Annex joined the campus programs.  In 1999, Wylie High School joined crime stoppers and the name A.I.S.D. Campus Crime Stoppers was change to Abilene Campus Crime Stoppers to reflect all the schools in the Abilene area.  In 2002 Wylie Junior High was brought on board.
Then in the 2009-2010 School year, Taylor County Campus Crime Stoppers program was formed.  Merkel, Trent and Tuscola High Schools were brought on board under Abilene Crime Stoppers unbrella.

The program in July of 1992 started the "Abilene's Wanted Person" program where career felons wanted for a felony offense are targeted and their pictures aired in the media, and a reward offered for their arrest.

In May of 1995, the program started its own BBS (Bulletin Board System).  The system would allow computer users to dial up the BBS and was able to see what the crime stoppers program was all about, along with other information.  Also through the BBS program was a network (CrimeStopNet), a networking of other crime stoppers programs; throughout, the State of Texas in a combined effort of exchanging information and ideas.

In October of 1996, through a donation from Camalott Communications (a local Internet Provider) Abilene Crime Stoppers, Inc. established its own e-mail address on the Internet "crimstop@camalott.com." The program had its own web page with links to Crime Stoppers International, Texas Ten Most Wanted, and the FBI's Most Wanted Fugitives. The BBS (Bulletin Board System) was discontinued due to budget constraints and only having one phone line, which is now being used for the Internet connection and web pages. 

In June of 2005, Abilene Crime Stoppers, Inc. acquired our own domain name “abilenecrimestoppers.com”. Our program has updated our Web Pages on a new server to better serve our community and to help combat crime.  We also have a new e-mail address: abilenecs@sbcglobal.net this address is not secure and we do not recommend using it to report tip information.  We recommend that you go on line and use our web-tip or text messaging via your cell phone all of which is described on "How it Works".

Tipsters can still call our hotline if they desire at 676-TIPS (8477) to check on the status of their tip and to find out if their information has led to a reward. The Web-Tip and Text Message Tip is just another step to insure our tipsters have the capability of giving their tip information anonymously.

Abilene Crime Stoppers, Inc. is a member of Crime Stoppers International and Crime Stoppers USA.  Both Crime Stoppers International and Crime Stoppers USA help to setup, regulate, and train, crime stoppers programs through out the USA and the World.

You may ask. Does the program really work? Well the statistical data tells the whole story.  Click on our “Statistics button" for our current statistics.

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