THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 18, 1996 TAG: 9610180521
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MIKE MATHER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 46 lines
The Police Department's Crime Solvers detectives and the organization's directors have won an international first-place award for getting the most arrests from the anonymous tip program.
The 219 arrests in 1995 were the most of any police agency that serves a population of 300,000 to 600,000. Crime Solvers also won two second-place awards for most property and drugs recovered and for most cases cleared.
Crime Solvers helped recover nearly $1.5 million in drugs and stolen property in 1995, and helped close more than 400 cases.
The awards were presented at the recent Crime Stoppers International conference in Mobile, Ala.
Virginia Beach Crime Solvers has won 20 awards in the past 13 years and has been heralded as one of the most effective programs in the world. Since its inception in Virginia Beach in 1982, Crime Solvers has led to more than 4,000 arrests and nearly $13 million in recovered drugs and property.
``This is from the police, the citizens and the media working together to a common goal,'' Detective Michael Derwent said. ``That's getting bad folks off the street, getting drugs off the street, and getting stolen property back to its rightful owners.''
Anonymous calls to Crime Solvers have helped detectives resolve everything from simple burglaries to headline-grabbing homicides.
The quadruple homicide at the Witchduck Inn and the slaying of Georgia college student Jennifer Evans were solved with the help of Crime Solvers tips.
``That's very rewarding,'' said Derwent, who has been a Crime Solvers detective since the Virginia Beach program began. ``At first, I was anxious about giving tips to another detective instead of investigating and making the arrest myself, but I find it to be very rewarding knowing I had a part in successfully concluding a case and getting someone to pay for the crime they committed.''
And most do pay. Of all suspects arrested through Crime Solvers, 98 percent are convicted.
The Crime Solvers tip line is publicized through weekly television, newspaper and radio features, and through daily crime stories in Hampton Roads. Anonymous callers can receive rewards of up to $1,000 for their tips.
Anyone with information on a crime in Virginia Beach can call Crime Solvers at 427-0000. by CNB