FLINT, MI — It’s been almost a year since Crime Stoppers of Michigan expanded into Genesee County, bringing with it more than 40 arrests and awarding more than $24,000 to tipsters.

Crime Stoppers of Michigan Genesee County Director Julie Lopez announced on Wednesday, Jan 21, that the group processed 570 tips in Genesee County in 11 months — of which 43 were successful and led to an arrest.

The organization serves eight counties across the state. Lopez said in 2014 Crime Stoppers processed 6,995 tips and awarded $116,280 across those eight counties.

“In those arrests there have been over 100 warrants that were cleared,” Lopez said. “Four of those tips were for homicides that were helped solved and one was a hit-and-run resulting in death. Thirty-two fugitives were captured, two sex-offenders were captured, two narcotics operations were shut down, two armed robberies, and several other crimes were solved with the help of the tips from anonymous tipsters. And in total we have awarded $24,050 to tipsters here in Genesee County alone just in the 11 months.”

Flint Police Chief James Tolbert said the communication between the community and law enforcement is vital in fighting crime in the city. Tolbert said having a tool like Crime Stoppers gives the public a way to report crime to police while remaining anonymous and he knew the organization was one that needed to be established in Flint.

“Since coming to Flint, what I saw was an immediate need to have more interaction and communication about issues that we needed to talk about and obviously we needed to have information on crime, on criminal activity, on persons that commit that crime,” Tolbert said. “Crime Stoppers of Michigan was a way that I was familiar with and an organization that I knew. I had had positive results in the past, there was a meeting of the minds and we came together and we were able to establish it here.”

Lopez has worked with law enforcement agencies around the county as well as FANG, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Secret Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. She also has been innovative in getting information out to the public by having unsolved homicide cases and missing person cases air on TVs at the Genesee County Jail and the Michigan Department of Correction and parole buildings.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said Crime Stoppers is a helpful tool when it comes to people who won’t come forward.

“What’s beautiful about Crime Stoppers is the understanding that it takes a village to fight crime,” Leyton said. “We all have a stake in the security of our neighborhoods and our city, and our schools, and our homes.”

Leyton said that for far too long he has dealt with a “don’t snitch” mentality.

“But almost every criminal case is solved by somebody coming forward, and Crime Stoppers is an invaluable tool in getting people to come forward and providing the information that the police need to assist us in prosecuting and convicting the perpetrators of the crime,” he said.

Lopez said Crime Stoppers publicized about 64 cases from vandalism to homicide. She said that just because someone doesn’t see a case in the media, they can still submit a tip.

“I want everyone in the community to know that we process all the tips that come through and we also work on all cases even if we have not publicized these cases,” Lopez said. “So if you have any information but you haven’t seen that case on the news or in the media anywhere, we still process those tips and get them to the correct law enforcement agency.”

To submit an anonymous tip call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP, or text CSM and your tip to CRIMES (274637) or online at www.1800speakup.org.

Amanda Emery is a police reporter for MLive-Flint Journal. Contact her at aemery@mlive.com or 810-285-0792. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook.