THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 2, 1995 TAG: 9503310202
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 117 lines
Last year, Portsmouth Crime Line awarded $9,000 to anonymous tipsters and helped the police solve 97 cases.
``And that was a very slow year for us,'' said John T. Williams, chairman of the Portsmouth Crime Line board. ``We've gone up as high as $23,000 to $24,000 in one year in rewards. It depends on the calls.
``The interesting thing about it is a third of the people who call never claim their reward. They're just calling to better the city and help solve some crimes.''
Crime Line pays up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Callers remain anonymous and do not have to testify in court. The conviction rate on cases solved by Crime Line tips is 98 percent. Because the program receives no federal, state or local funding, its survival depends on contributions from the public.
``We need your help,'' said Williams, chairman of this year's Greater Hampton Roads Crime Line Telethon to be aired Saturday from 8 to 11 p.m. on WVEC-Channel 13.
``The goal is `95 for 95' or $95,000 for 1995,'' he said. ``It's going to be very hard to get there unless we get a lot of calls.''
Proceeds from the telethon are split among cities based on population. Portsmouth will receive about 8 percent of what's raised, plus any corporate contributions specifically designated to the city.
``We'll probably average around the neighborhood of $8,000 to $10,000 out of the telethon when we get everything that's coming in,'' said Williams, security and safety manager for Portsmouth General Hospital.
``We try to do one group fund-raising project before the telethon, either a canister collection or a cotton candy sale, but this year our canister collection fell through, which is going to reduce tremendously the amount of money we're going to take in.''
But as much as it needs money, said Williams, Crime Line needs calls.
``Our calls have been down this year. People seem to forget about us even though there's that `crime-of-the-week' on Channel 13,'' he said. ``But we've found that sometimes advertising on billboards gets us more calls. The funny thing is when we advertise on billboards, the month that we advertise, we usually get about 50 percent more calls.''
Portsmouth was the first Hampton Roads city to initiate the Crime Line program. Since its inception in 1981, $159,000 has been distributed in reward money; 1,152 cases have been successfully prosecuted; $1,840,000 worth of stolen property and $940,000 in drugs have been recovered; and 56 homicide cases have been cleared.
``That's why we're in existence, to get your calls so that we can solve crimes in the city. If we don't get your calls, there's no need for us to be here. It's very important that people understand that,'' said Williams.
Williams, 37, has worked at Portsmouth General Hospital since 1988. Prior to that, he worked full time as a pipefitter at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard and part time as a security guard at Louise Obici Memorial Hospital in Suffolk. He joined the board of Portsmouth Crime Line more than three years ago and has served as chairman for two.
``Anything that I can do to help reduce crime in Portsmouth is going to reduce crime around the neighborhood that surrounds the hospital,'' said Williams, who supervises a staff of 18.
Occasionally Williams conducts workshops in personal safety for community groups like civic leagues, private businesses and even groups like the Walkercisers at Tower Mall.
Name: John T. Williams
Nickname: J.T.
Neighborhood: Green Meadow Point East (Western Branch)
Number of years in Portsmouth: 11
Birthplace: Portsmouth Naval Hospital
Birthdate: 4/19/57
Occupation: Security and safety manager for Portsmouth General Hospital
What other job than your own would you like? I love my job and career, but if I could not work in this field anymore, I would like to work for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and make wishes come true for terminally ill children.
Marital Status: Married to JuliAnn
Children: Christopher, 8
Fondest childhood memory: When my dad, who was running a 103-degree fever, got out of his sick bed to watch me do my rendition of a blue angel when I was in the sixth-grade play.
First concert: The Beach Boys in 1979
What song or book title best describes your life? Song ``Big Bad John'' by Jimmy Dean because he put the safety of others before himself.
If you won the lottery, what's the very first thing you'd buy? A new car for my wife and a play gym for my son
If you could trade places for just one day with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? Anyone who lives on Maui. I've always wanted to go there.
Biggest accomplishment: Helping to raise an 8-year-old
Most embarrassing moment: I can't remember any
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would have completed college after high school instead of taking night classes.
Perfect way to spend the day: Working on a stained-glass project
I can't resist: Chocolate
Favorite Portsmouth restaurant: The Circle
Biggest problem facing Portsmouth: Blight and low tax base. Portsmouth has a great waterfront, but nothing is being built to attract new residents, businesses and tourists - ``If you build it, they will come!''
If you had two wishes for Portsmouth, what would they be?
That more residents called Portsmouth Crime Line to provide information about crimes to help us reduce the crime more
The city would take a chance on building Navytown USA, but instead have attractions related to all armed forces
Other than its small-town atmosphere, what do you like about living in Portsmouth? The people and Portsmouth General Hospital MEMO: TO HELP
Donations to Crime Line can be mailed to P.O. Box 664, Portsmouth,
Va. 23704. Checks can be made payable to the Greater Hampton Roads Crime
Line Telethon, which benefits all Hampton Roads cities, or to a
particular city, such as Portsmouth Crime Line; donations are accepted
year-round. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARK MITCHELL
``That's why we're in existence, to get your calls so that we can
solve crimes,'' says John T. Williams, chairman of the Portsmouth
Crime Line board. by CNB