Does Mineral County have a Crime Stoppers program? The short answer is yes, but apparently, it isn’t being used very much. 

Crime Stoppers is a nationwide, community-based program that gives citizens a way to anonymously provide information about criminal activity. Established in 1976, the program has helped lead to numerous arrests and the recovery of significant amounts of stolen property and illegal drugs. 

The concept is fairly simple. Someone who has information about a crime can call a toll-free number and provide that information without revealing his or her identity. The caller is assigned a number for future contact with the program. At a designated time, the informant can call back to find out whether the information qualified for a reward. 

The Crime Stoppers Board of Directors determines which tips receive rewards. The program is designed to be a partnership between law enforcement, the public and the media. When law enforcement needs help solving an unsolved crime, the agency can ask Crime Stoppers for assistance. Information about the crime can then be made public, giving residents an opportunity to provide information they may have that could help investigators. 

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks has a similar program for reporting poaching, trespassing and other wildlife-related crimes through its TIP-MONT program at 1-800-TIP-MONT. FWP periodically issues press releases asking the public for help in solving cases. It works well.

So, what about Mineral County? 

As of March of last year, Dan Clemts has been Mineral County’s representative with Five Valleys Crime Stoppers, a Missoula-based organization that also includes Ravalli and Lake counties. Five Valleys serves as the hub for the regional program. 

According to Clemts, he was asked to fill the Mineral County position a couple of years ago by the police chief in St. Ignatius, Jason Acheson. 

In a Facebook post, Clemts said, “I was asked to fill that spot a couple of years ago by the Police Chief of St. Ignatius. I joined and had a conversation or two with our Sheriff, asked him to pass out cards to the Deputies, started a Mineral County FB page to publicize the program, reached out to the local paper to do informative articles (no luck yet) and posted flyers in multiple locations.”

Clemts has apparently done his part to get the word out. But there is one important piece missing: cases.

The nuts and bolts of the Crime Stoppers program depend on law enforcement asking for the public’s help when there is an unsolved crime that might benefit from additional information. According to Clemts, the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office has not provided cases to publicize, with one exception. 

“Last year MCSO reached out to me for help on a case and we ended up paying a reward to an individual for his info in solving a crime,” Clemts wrote. “I've talked to the Sheriff since then and made it clear we are available to help with any cases they think we can assist with. They have not asked for help on any cases as of now other than the one.”

That raises an obvious question: If Crime Stoppers is available to Mineral County, why isn't it being used? There is a Facebook page specifically for Crime Stoppers of Mineral County, where information about the program can be found. Yet a look at the page shows that the cases being publicized are from other counties — not Mineral County.

That is where the frustration comes in. Crime Stoppers is already established. There is a local representative. There is a local Facebook page. There is a toll-free tip line. And there is a system in place for anonymous tips and rewards. What seems to be missing is information from the MCSO about cases where the public might be able to help. 

Crime Stoppers of Mineral County is part of Five Valleys Crime Stoppers, which follows the guidelines and directions established by Crime Stoppers International in its day-to-day operation. 

The toll-free tips line, 406-721-4444, is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and accepts completely anonymous tips regarding criminal activity.