Valley Starts Student Crime Stoppers Program
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
AKRON - Progressive: moving forward; continuing by successive steps; favoring progress, reform.
Tippecanoe Valley High School is looking to be progressive in preventing crime at school. In conjunction with DARE officer Timothy Sammons and the Kosciusko County Crime Stoppers, the high school is implementing a Student Crime Stoppers program this year.
TVHS assistant principal Rod McKee said the county Crime Stoppers has taken Tippecanoe Valley under their wing as a pilot program.
"It's not that we have any problems," he said, "but it's always nice to have a program in place.
"Students are in the forefront and know what's going on far before the principal or administrator," said McKee. He said if the school were to do nothing, then real problems could begin.
The school's program works much like the Crime Stoppers program seen on television.
A student who witnesses a crime in, around or to someone on the school property and who knows who committed the crime calls Student Crime Stoppers at 800-342-STOP to make a report. (Parents should always be consulted first.) Information is taken in strick confidence and anonymity is guaranteed.
Student Crime Stoppers does not have caller ID and students do not have to give their names. A caller will be issued a tip number. If the tip leads to the apprehension of the person responsible for a crime or the recovery of stolen items, the caller may qualify for a cash reward of $25.
Last year, TVHS had an in-house number students could call to report a crime. But McKee said there wasn't enough anonymity for students, so the school looked for another way to help prevent crimes.
"We started before school started with Kosciusko County Crime Stoppers," he said. The school was awarded grant money to get the program started and the county Crime Stoppers will assist.
"There's enough concern and interest in the county to prevent these kind of actions that the county (Crime Stoppers) will help in the future," McKee said.
While the program started at the high school, McKee said, students at other schools in the corporation can also call the number.
On the first day of classes this year, McKee said, students were told of the program at an assembly. In their first class of the year, teachers passed out fliers regarding the program. Fliers are also posted around the school.
But not all students are totally aware of the program.
"I heard nothing," said TVHS junior Trent Walker. "I don't think it'll do much good. I don't think there's enough crime to have a crime stoppers, and if there was enough crime, I don't see it working. It's not a very popular thing to turn students in. You don't want to get people busted."
Walker said he might call the number, depending on the crime he witnessed. He wouldn't report someone stealing a candy bar from the cafeteria, but might consider calling if someone was stealing a car. "It's depending on the crime," he said.
Senior Chad Cumberland said he heard about it but doesn't really know anything about the program. As to whether or not the program will help prevent crimes, he said, "I supposed it would if you want to take the time to call in." He said he might call, "depending on how bad (the crime) was."
"I probably wouldn't do anything unless someone had a gun," he said.
Ashley Whitaker, junior, said she "kind of" heard about the program.
"I think it's a good idea. They want to stop crimes in school, stop violence. I don't know (if it will work), it may," she said. "I think they're just doing it because they hear of all the things that's going around schools in the United States."
Kelly Moon, ninth grader, said she received one of the fliers and her class talked about it. She said it will probably work at TVHS "because people are really cooperative here."
She said she would call only if something serious happens.
Examples of student crime that students can call about include: vandalism, theft, assault, drug or weapon possession. Felony crimes (burglary, auto theft, drug or weapon possession, etc.) will be referred to the police for prosecution. [[In-content Ad]]
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AKRON - Progressive: moving forward; continuing by successive steps; favoring progress, reform.
Tippecanoe Valley High School is looking to be progressive in preventing crime at school. In conjunction with DARE officer Timothy Sammons and the Kosciusko County Crime Stoppers, the high school is implementing a Student Crime Stoppers program this year.
TVHS assistant principal Rod McKee said the county Crime Stoppers has taken Tippecanoe Valley under their wing as a pilot program.
"It's not that we have any problems," he said, "but it's always nice to have a program in place.
"Students are in the forefront and know what's going on far before the principal or administrator," said McKee. He said if the school were to do nothing, then real problems could begin.
The school's program works much like the Crime Stoppers program seen on television.
A student who witnesses a crime in, around or to someone on the school property and who knows who committed the crime calls Student Crime Stoppers at 800-342-STOP to make a report. (Parents should always be consulted first.) Information is taken in strick confidence and anonymity is guaranteed.
Student Crime Stoppers does not have caller ID and students do not have to give their names. A caller will be issued a tip number. If the tip leads to the apprehension of the person responsible for a crime or the recovery of stolen items, the caller may qualify for a cash reward of $25.
Last year, TVHS had an in-house number students could call to report a crime. But McKee said there wasn't enough anonymity for students, so the school looked for another way to help prevent crimes.
"We started before school started with Kosciusko County Crime Stoppers," he said. The school was awarded grant money to get the program started and the county Crime Stoppers will assist.
"There's enough concern and interest in the county to prevent these kind of actions that the county (Crime Stoppers) will help in the future," McKee said.
While the program started at the high school, McKee said, students at other schools in the corporation can also call the number.
On the first day of classes this year, McKee said, students were told of the program at an assembly. In their first class of the year, teachers passed out fliers regarding the program. Fliers are also posted around the school.
But not all students are totally aware of the program.
"I heard nothing," said TVHS junior Trent Walker. "I don't think it'll do much good. I don't think there's enough crime to have a crime stoppers, and if there was enough crime, I don't see it working. It's not a very popular thing to turn students in. You don't want to get people busted."
Walker said he might call the number, depending on the crime he witnessed. He wouldn't report someone stealing a candy bar from the cafeteria, but might consider calling if someone was stealing a car. "It's depending on the crime," he said.
Senior Chad Cumberland said he heard about it but doesn't really know anything about the program. As to whether or not the program will help prevent crimes, he said, "I supposed it would if you want to take the time to call in." He said he might call, "depending on how bad (the crime) was."
"I probably wouldn't do anything unless someone had a gun," he said.
Ashley Whitaker, junior, said she "kind of" heard about the program.
"I think it's a good idea. They want to stop crimes in school, stop violence. I don't know (if it will work), it may," she said. "I think they're just doing it because they hear of all the things that's going around schools in the United States."
Kelly Moon, ninth grader, said she received one of the fliers and her class talked about it. She said it will probably work at TVHS "because people are really cooperative here."
She said she would call only if something serious happens.
Examples of student crime that students can call about include: vandalism, theft, assault, drug or weapon possession. Felony crimes (burglary, auto theft, drug or weapon possession, etc.) will be referred to the police for prosecution. [[In-content Ad]]