As much as we’d like to think that Hawaii is free of crime, that’s just not the case. And sometimes, criminal acts — from property damage to domestic abuse and larceny — can happen close to home. Enter CrimeStoppers Honolulu, a nonprofit organization formed in 1981 dedicated to lowering crime rates in the islands by providing a hotline where callers can anonymously give information about criminal activity. Tipsters are even given a monetary award of up to $1,000 if the information provided leads to an arrest, which can be tracked via a unique identification number that is only shared with the tipster and Crimestoppers Honolulu.
Humble beginnings
Crimestoppers Honolulu is part of the nationwide Crimestoppers program that began when a young college student, Michael Carmen, was shot to death during a robbery at an Albuquerque, New Mexico, gas station in July 1976. Stumped by the killing, police detective Greg MacAleese put up a monetary reward — which he personally funded — and filmed a reenactment of the murder, which was broadcast on a local television station, asking anyone with information about the murder to call in. It worked, and within 72 hours the two men responsible for the killing were put behind bars, thanks to an informant who recognized the killer’s car.
Sanj Seppal (right) chats with a volunteer.
CrimeStoppers Honolulu has been similarly effective. Working directly with the Honolulu Police Department, the volunteer-led operation has had a significant impact on the war against crime. “Information given to us has managed to lead to over 3,000 arrests,” says Sgt. Chris Kim, who also serves as the coordinator for CrimeStoppers Honolulu. “We’ve recovered almost $7 million in drugs and stolen property, we’ve deterred suicides — we run the gambit.”
Anonymity guaranteed
One of the biggest factors in the success of the operation is that tipsters are guaranteed to remain anonymous throughout the process, which is especially important as many of the crimes reported are often close to home for callers. “People are always afraid of retaliation and retribution, they don’t want to be known as a rat or a snitch,” says Kim. “But with CrimeStoppers we give them that avenue, that resource, to report things to us anonymously and we then forward that information to the proper investigative divisions, whether that be the Honolulu Police Department, the Hawaiian Humane Society, or our sheriffs.”
The website and phone number of CrimeStoppers Honolulu.
Of course, CrimeStoppers Honolulu wouldn’t be what it is today without the help of its invaluable volunteers. The entire organization runs on the efforts of those looking to make Hawaii safer. “Without volunteers, we could not have CrimeStoppers,” says Sanj Sappal, a longtime security executive who serves as CrimeStoppers Honolulu’s president. “We count on our volunteers, from our 16 board members to those who staff our hotline daily. They all are valuable and bring so much to the table.”
Answering the call
As a local organization committed to bettering our community, it’s no surprise that our HMSA ohana also has ties to CrimeStoppers Honolulu. Multimedia Services Director Marvin Buenconsejo in Communications contributes his time to CrimeStoppers Honolulu as a board member to make sure his island home is a safe place. “Volunteering is a huge part of HMSA, and in this instance, our missions really do align when it comes to improving the quality of island life,” says Buenconsejo. “CrimeStoppers works to reduce crime, and at HMSA we work really hard to improve the health of the people of Hawaii, so it just really goes hand in hand.”
See the team in action:
Tipsters can call Crimestoppers Honolulu at 808-955-8300 or visit their website. Those interested in volunteering, send them an email.
Giving back to our community
