Union County, NJ – A new Union County messaging service provides citizens with new ways to provide tips on criminal activity without disclosing their names, by texting UC TIP to 274637, or submitting an online form through the Union County Crime Stoppers website, www.uctip.org. Anonymous tips are also accepted through the Crime Stoppers 24-hour toll free hotline, 908-654-8477.
“Community involvement is the key to crime prevention, and Crime Stoppers is a valuable resource for Union County residents who want to be involved, but who do not wish to identify themselves,” said Deborah Scanlon, Union County Freeholder Chairman.
Anonymous reporting through Crime Stoppers has proven to make a difference. Since its inception, the program has resulted in thousands of arrests for crimes including murder and other serious offenses, the recovery of contraband such as illegal drugs and weapons, and the return of property to its rightful owner.
The Union County Crime Stoppers Board is a volunteer organization dedicated to encouraging more residents to step forward and share information about criminal activity. It works closely with the Union County Police, the Union County Police Chiefs Association and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office.
A cash reward of up to $5,000 may be offered for information resulting in the arrest and indictment of an offender.
Phone calls to the Crime Stoppers tipline at 908-654-8477 are handled through a designated phone that does not provide caller ID, and conversations are not recorded.
Citizens who would like to use the online form at www.uctip.org will have their identity protected through a secure connection. They can also return to the same form to add new information without disclosing their identity.
To ensure the anonymity of citizens who text UC TIP to 274637, all messages are routed through a remotely located third party, and no records of the messages are retained.
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For more information on any Union County press release, please contact Sebastian D’Elia, Communications Director for the County of Union, or a designee listed at the top of this press release. Please join the County of Union online at www.ucnj.org, on Facebook at www.ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter athttp://twitter.com/countyofunionnj.