Crime Stoppers of Michigan

December 2012

There is a wall of photos in our office - pictures taken at graduations, birthday celebrations, around Thanksgiving tables. People are smiling, happy, full of life.

There are photos of moms and dads, brothers and cousins, grandparents and veterans...and there are children.

The pictures of children are the hardest to see.

Because each of these photos shows a life that has ended.

By violence. This year. In our community.

Dear Friends,

There are over 300 photos on our wall. Sadly, each week, more are added. The images are a constant reminder of the families that we serve - families that struggle with heartbreaking grief. Families that have lost loved ones to violence.

One of the photos shows the smiling face of John Pippen, a young father. John didnt have much, but everything he did revolved around making a better life for his son. On January 24th, John was shot, locked inside an apartment on Detroits east side, and left to die. Johns family was devastated. They did not know who had murdered him - or why.

Crime Stoppers mission is to support families like Johns, families whose worlds have been turned upside down by violence. Please help us help them.

Your support would allow us to do the two things we do best:

We give a voice to families of victims of violence.
And we tap the power of the community to speak up and help them.

Each week, Crime Stoppers runs press conferences with victims families - so they can ask the community for help finding a murderer. Families not only are grieving, they often feel invisible and powerless. Our press conferences give them a voice. The raw emotion in that voice resonates with people and they want to help.

The truth is someone does know what happened. But that someone is often frightened - afraid that if he or she does speak up, word will get out and the criminal will retaliate.

This is why Crime Stoppers also operates an absolutely anonymous tip hotline. We provide rock solid safety for people who want to share information they have about a crime. Criminals can never find out the identity of a tipster because no one ever knows who that tipster is -- not us, not the police - no one. People can contact Crime Stoppers - with no risk of reprisal.

In record numbers, they are. Last year, 6,000 tipsters called us with information - a 44% increase. This year, we are on track to reach another new record -- close to 7,000 tips!

It was one of these tips that brought John Pippens killer to justice. Crime Stoppers held a press conference with Johns family on April 11th. The family implored anyone with information to speak up, to help find his murderer. The tip that broke the case came in that very same day. Johns attacker was behind bars in less than two weeks.

Crime Stoppers tips have helped solve many, many cases like this one. And while we are glad of the successes, as our wall of photos shows &. there is so much more to do.

Will you help us give a grieving family a voice?Will you help sponsor a press conference?Each press conference costs $250 to conduct - and each week, we work with at least two families. With your support, we would be able to give a voice to even more.

To become a sponsor, simply call Colleen at 313-922-5000, extension 10 - and she will be glad to process a donation to your credit card.

Together, we can offer a voice to families torn apart by violence. Together, we can harness the resources of our community to take a criminal off our streets. And together, we can offer a measure of closure to the family of one more victim.

Many, many thanks for your contribution and support - and warm wishes from all of us at Crime Stoppers for a peaceful holiday season and safe New Year.

Warm regards,

John W. Broad
President

PS -- You are welcome to attend the press conference you sponsor so that you can show your support to the family. If you would like to do this, please tell Colleen when you call. Again, we are tremendously grateful for your commitment to Crime Stoppers. We could not do it without you.