Bluegrass Crime Stoppers bumps reward amount, but how much is it paying out annually?

The Bluegrass Crime Stoppers division, which serves Lexington, recently upped the reward payout it offers for actionable tips that led to arrests.

Tipsters can now receive up to $1,500 if their information leads to an arrest, an increase from the previous $1,000. If the arrest involves a firearm, they’re eligible to receive even more.

But how does the process work? How are the tips investigated? Where does the reward money come from?

Read on for answers to these questions and others from Bluegrass Crime Stoppers coordinator and Lexington Police Detective Anthony Delimpo.

How Crime Stoppers works

What started in the 1980s as an anonymous tip line you could call into has now developed into its own website and even a mobile phone app, Delimpo said.

When a tipster reaches out with information about a crime, they’re assigned a unique case number only they’re aware of. The tipster is told to hold on to that number and if their information leads to an arrest, they’re contacted to arrange a payout.

Delimpo said that typically involves going to a specific bank location, submitting a password that has been given to them to the bank teller and receiving the payment.

Tipsters have to remain anonymous under state law, Delimpo said.

Bluegrass Crime Stoppers to hand out more cash for useful tips in Lexington investigations

Reward payouts do typically range depending on the severity of the crime, Delimpo said. If the police officer was injured during the arrest, if there was a foot pursuit or if the tipster puts themselves at risk, those can all be factors for a bigger payout.

According to Delimpo, the reward money comes in through various fundraising events Bluegrass Crime Stoppers holds throughout the year as a nonprofit.

Last year, Bluegrass Crime Stoppers paid about $33,000 in reward money.

Who are the tipsters?

You might think it’s some busybody peeking through their blinds, but in reality, tipsters are very often “bad guys telling on bad guys,” Delimpo said.

Regardless of who makes the tip, they must remain anonymous under state law.

As many as 60% of the tips Bluegrass Crime Stoppers receives are drug related, Delimpo said.

How are Crime Stoppers tips investigated?

Delimpo said they’re typically referred to the appropriate law enforcement agency, which then handles the leg work. That could even be an agency outside of the Bluegrass Crime Stoppers area or even out of state.

For instance, a past tip that came in from Houston related to a murder suspect from Kentucky led to an arrest and a payout for the Houston-based tipster, Delimpo said.

Delimpo described supporting the Bluegrass Crime Stoppers service as a way to make Lexington safer. He said the nonprofit accepts donations on its website.

Bluegrass Crime Stoppers data

According to the division’s website, in 2021, tips through the program led to 106 arrests. Charges included 285 felonies and 120 misdemeanors.

The organization said the tips led to $179,758 in recovered cash and 49 recovered firearms.

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