Greetings and welcome to the January edition of the Texas Crime Stoppers newsletter! It is hard to believe that we have successfully completed another year.
As we say goodbye to 2022 and enter into a new year, I want to take a moment to thank and congratulate all of you on another successful year. It takes a lot of passion and dedication to do what you do every day. I look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts to see what we are able to accomplish this year!
Lyndsay Ysla - Director, Texas Crime Stoppers
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Every year, the month of January is dedicated to raising awareness of Crime Stoppers’ successes and motivating more Texans to get involved. In the past year, Crime Stoppers programs across Texas have received nearly 70,000 anonymous tips which led to more than 3,000 arrests, more than $1 million in rewards paid, and approximately $7 million worth of narcotics seized. These impressive results showcase the hardwork and resilience of Crime Stoppers volunteers, who continue to be extremely effective in their mission to protect and serve communities across Texas. Selfless Texans from the Panhandle to the Gulf Coast have devoted more than 44,000 volunteer hours to just this cause, in their investment in their community has paved the way for a safer, stronger future.
Please share this proclamation and encourage all Texans to join in this effort and help create an even brighter future for our state!
Welcome Magda (Maggie) Torres, our new Crime Stoppers Program Coordinator!
We are happy to announce that Maggie Torres has joined the Public Safety Office as the new Program Coordinator for Texas Crime Stoppers. Let's hear from Maggie...….
"I am excited to be the new Program Coordinator for the Texas Crime Stoppers program. With 18 years of state service at the Office of the Attorney General, I am honored to work closely with Lyndsay Ysla and Erin Cole and assist these two amazing women with the great work they are doing in keeping this program as effective as it is. I am excited to learn more about the Texas Crime Stoppers programs and look forward to working with and getting to know each local program."
-Maggie
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Hays County Crime Stoppers, Inc. (HCCS) has been a certified program for over 40 years. Nearly a year ago, their Crime Stoppers program almost closed its doors. The HCCS board dwindled down to only five (5) members, no longer had community buy-in, lacked law enforcement support which would ultimately dissolve their program.
The Texas Crime Stoppers program within the Office of the Governor, along with other established Crime Stoppers programs, were able to provide technical assistance and community outreach to HCCS and help rebuild their program and provide tools to help modernize. They were able to obtain Hays County Sheriff’s Office full support, by doing so, HCCS appointed Sergeant Jeffrey Jordan as Executive Director.
For the last ten (10) months, Sergeant Jordan started a recruiting blitz to rebuild the HCCS Board. HCCS went from having five (5) Board Members to over 25. With heaps of continued technical assistance and community outreach, HCCS was able to secure support from all five (5) major law enforcement agencies throughout Hays County, establish as well as expand the campus Crime Stoppers programs within each high school in Hays County.
Furthermore, HCCS created a Hays County Law Enforcement Advisory Team, which consists of all major law enforcement agencies within Hays County including Hays County Sheriff’s Office, San Marcos Police Department, Texas State University-San Marcos Police Department, Kyle Police Department, and Buda Police Department. The Sheriff and each Police Chief agreed to designate at least one personnel or coordinator to the Advisory Team. With combined efforts, HCCS has been able to apprehend over 40 wanted suspects thus far in 2022 surpassing previous years where the average was eight (8).
It’s in moments like this that we reflect and appreciate all the hard work and perseverance that Crime Stoppers employs for the community. It does not take one person; it takes a collaborative mission within local communities across the state to make our schools and the places we live a safer Texas.
It’s that time of the year again to submit your programs annual reports. To access your reports, select the hyperlinks listed below using the previously created username and password sent to your organization. All reports are due January 31, 2023.
Please share this information with your board, executive directors, and law enforcement coordinators to give them ample time to gather the data to complete the reports in a timely manner. For questions, contact Maggie Torres at (512) 463-8306 or Magda.Torres@gov.texas.gov.
The Request for Application (RFA) is posted online and is ready for you to review and start applying for the Crime Stoppers Assistance Fund.
The deadline is February 9, 2023 at 5:00pm CST.
27th Annual Texas Crime Stoppers Campus Conference
Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center- San Marcos, Texas
February 6-8, 2023
Texas Crime Stoppers Basic Course Training
Galveston, Texas
April 3-4, 2023
Texas Crime Stoppers Basic Course Training
Kerrville, Texas
June 5-6, 2023
34th Annual Texas Crime Stoppers Conference
McAllen Convention Center- McAllen, Texas
October 3-5, 2023
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The Texas Crime Stoppers Ambassador Program is a student based leadership program for Texas youth involved in their local Crime Stoppers community across the state.
Each ambassador is assigned a month to submit an article to be featured on the Texas Crime Stoppers newsletter. The topics may include, campus program success stories, an interview with their Student Resource Officer or a board member, community engagement, editorials on leadership, mentoring, or student motivation.
Apply to be an Ambassador. The Ambassador Program shapes young leaders in the Texas Crime Stoppers community. The aim of the program is to establish a network of informed and influential students throughout Texas who can actively represent Texas Crime Stoppers while building a proficient skill set and gaining leadership experience. Applications are due by Friday, January 13, 2023.
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Texas Crime Stoppers staff
Can't wait to see what 2023 brings!
(left to right: Lyndsay Ysla, Director; Erin Cole, Lead Program Coordinator; Maggie Torres. Program Coordinator)
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