The renewed relationship between Crime Stoppers USVI and the Virgin Islands Police Department has been a tremendous success in 2016, with V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Glenn Dratte providing results of the partnership’s efforts in a press release issued Thursday.
According to Mr. Dratte, P3Tips has increased the number of tips submitted for the year compared to previous years, and as a result 6 homicide cases have been solved, two fugitives apprehended, approximately $280,000 in drugs have been seized, $90,000 in stolen property have been recovered, and several illegal weapons have been removed from the territory. Crime Stoppers also rewarded tipsters with a total of $17,000 in 2016. The Consortium, in crime reports, have been encouraging residents to send in their tips through Crime Stoppers’ P3Tips page, for a chance of being rewarded financially.
The renewed relationship between the V.I.P.D. and Crime Stoppers was announced at a press conference in September, 2015, following discussions between Police Commissioner Delroy Richards and Crime Stoppers.
“We are very pleased and excited to announce that Commissioner Delroy Richards took our request seriously and has identified a newly retired individual to work with us on St. Croix, and is allowing Lt. Maria Jones on St Thomas to continue being our liaison while he finds the right individual on that island,” Judi Buckley, a founder of Crime Stoppers USVI and board chairwoman, said in September 2015. “Lt. Jones has worked with us in some capacity since our inception, so we’re confident in her ability to temporarily handle this assignment. Both of these liaisons will be working under the Commissioner’s office.”
Mr. Richards and other V.I.P.D. officials attended a Crime Stoppers Board of Trustees meeting on December 18, where he praised the members of Crime Stoppers and reiterated the nonprofit’s important role in helping local and federal law enforcement eradicate crime in the territory.
Members of Crime Stoppers USVI are distributing new brochures throughout neighborhoods on all islands, according to Mr. Dratte. The aim is to encourage the public to visit their new website, seen here, and to download their new mobile app here.
Feature Image: V.I.P.D. and Crime Stoppers officials at a Crime Stoppers board meeting on December 18. (Credit: V.I.P.D.)
Tags: crime stoppers, us virgin islands, virgin islands police department