Pikes Peak Crime Stoppers: How it works

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Pikes Peak Area Crime Stoppers (PPACS) receives nearly 200 reports a month, but you may wonder exactly who PPACS are and what role the community plays.

They work directly with Colorado Springs residents to help solve and prevent all kinds of crime.

For example, last year, Crime Stoppers say resident reports led officers to $13,000 in stolen property and over $350,000 worth of illicit drugs.

Best of all, reports can get you paid. Crime Stoppers handed out nearly $20,000 in reward money last year alone.

Dan May from PPACS says it's a great way for neighbors or community members to report crimes that they know about and help prevent crime in their neighborhood; totally anonymously.

To report a crime individuals can either contact PPACS by phone or through Crimestop.net. The nonprofit then reports the crime to police agencies.

May says the entire process is done anonymously, adding there is a state law the says they cannot identify who the reporter is.

About 40% of reported crimes relate to narcotics or drugs cases, according to May.

However, PPACS gets tips about a wide range of crimes from animal cruelty to porch pirates to murders.

While most tips get reported within a few days of the crime happening, May says anyone can report a crime at anytime no matter when it happened.

Something unique PPACS does is give monetary rewards to crime tippers in some cases.

If the reports leads to an arrest, individuals are eligible to receive up to $1,000 in cash.

If you have information about a crime, contact Pikes Peak Crime Stoppers at (719) 634-7867.

If you have a crime topic you would KRDO13 to look into, send us an email at krdonews@krdo.com.