More than three thousand people are booked into the David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center in Tulsa every year.
Deputies say unless security reasons, it doesn’t matter what type of crime inmates are accused of, they are housed in the same cells.
Imagine all the jailhouse chatter that goes on behind the walls, eventually someone is going to talk and now inmates can call a tip for free.
You can call, text and e-mail Crime Stoppers tips.
"We know that other bad guys and scorned lovers are the big frequent fliers are Crime Stoppers,” says Crime Commission Executive Director Carol Bush.
Some of the callers could be inmates with a beef. "There is always jailhouse chatter and jail house snitches for everything,” says Bush.
Any of the information can be reported to Crime Stoppers for free inside the jail. Signs are posted at telephones encouraging inmates to call Crime Stoppers.
"There are a lot of people inside jails that know stuff that is going on the outside and sometimes they know they need to get those people off the streets,” says Crime Stoppers supporter Lewis Billy.
He lives near 11
th and Rockford and says he wants criminals invading his neighborhood reported.
"Prostitution, we've had a lot of drive-bys in a few months,” says Billy.
The tipsters could already be locked up with what deputies call “weekenders”. They are someone who is serving scheduled time for offenses such as a DUI.
If those less violent offenders overhear information about bigger crimes, they can call Crime Stoppers inside the jail or when they get out.
"They have a tendency to want to tell somebody because they are good people, they just made a mistake,” says Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Shannon Clark.
Or the tipsters could be hardened criminals who want to score some extra cash for the reward.
"There is a jailhouse etiquette and they are competitive and start tattle telling on each other’s crimes,” says Clark.
Jail calls are recorded but to keep Crime Stopper callers anonymous, the call is on speed dial to the answering service in Texas.
"We can track it back to the phone but not who made the call,” says Clark.
When you call Crime Stoppers you are given a number and that’s the only way you can be identified.
No information about your identity is released to police or the public.
"It is the extra eyes and ears and legs on the streets that will help law enforcement,” says Bush.
The inmate handbook will soon have information about calling Crime Stoppers for free. Telephone calls in booking are already free.
The Crime Commission pays out up to a $1,000 for a tip that leads to an arrest. The Crime Commission is a non-profit organization that runs Crime Stoppers through donations.
Crime Stoppers costs about $55,000 a year and that includes the reward money paid out to tipsters.
More than 2,000 tips have helped clear 136 cases and lock up 70 felons this year.
“It's about building trust in the community. Keeping it secure, making sure they understand that anonymity is there,” says Bush.
With fewer officers on the street they are looking for new ways to engage tipsters such as creating a smartphone application.
"It isn't just a phone call anymore,” says Bush.
However, as the Crime Commission works to create new ways to generate tips to keep you safe it needs your donations.
"We have an 85 percent arrest rate. There's your return, bad guys are going to jail. Quite honestly, isn't that priceless?" says Bush.
Crime Stoppers reports television, internet and “other” were the top three avenues tipsters learned about Crime Stoppers.
You can also contact Tulsa Police anonymously via Facebook and Twitter.
If you have any information call Crime Stoppers at (918) 596-COPS (2677) or text a tip to “CRIMES” (274637) and begin your message with “TIP918” or you can submit a tip online at
www.tipsubmit.com.
Remember you never have to give your name and your tip could lead to a cash reward.
