Saving Lives With Anonymous Reporting Since 1972
This week WeTip, the national anonymous tip reporting system, celebrates its 50th anniversary. From frightened children to the hunt for infamous serial killers, WeTip enables anyone to call, click or text a tip about a crime or suspicious activity to our national hotline.
Because of the two million anonymous crime reports that WeTip has received:
- More than 20,000 criminal arrests have been made
- 400 murderers were arrested
- 951 robbery/burglary suspects were arrested
- $340 million in drugs and narcotics were seized by law enforcement
- 902 wanted fugitives and 300 parole violators were captured
- 168 violent gang members have been arrested and taken out of neighborhoods
- 125 sex crime offenders went to prison
Helping Catch the Most Infamous Serial Killers
Working with law enforcement and television stations across the country, WeTip answered the call by actively taking 24/7 tips on the Night Stalker serial killer, the Hillside strangler, Jeffrey Dahmer and the Green River Killer as well as thousands of other media calls to capture dangerous criminals.
Because of WeTip, thousands of parents are hugging children whose lives might have been lost. Just imagine the children who didn’t deal with the pain of abuse and the families who didn’t bury a loved one because anonymous crime reports poured into WeTip, alerting law enforcement of the predators in their communities.
Turning a Crime Fighting Vision into Reality
It all began in February 1972 when WeTip’s founders, Bill and Miriam Brownell, turned their vision for safer communities into a reality. They worked tirelessly to grow and expand this novel and innovative way to report a crime or incident without fear of reprisal. As the grandfather of all anonymous reporting hotline services, WeTip’s founders blazed a trail that enabled communities, schools and businesses to join forces with WeTip in the War on Crime.
By 1982, this small Ontario, CA grassroots program, exploded into a nationwide program and launched a major network television show. Presidents, congressmen and senators, governors, police chiefs and sheriffs have praised and lauded the WeTip Program for its innovation and impact on crime in America and the lives that have been saved. WeTip programs began simply, with anonymous tips on drug deals.
The 1970s and 1980s began a new era of community action and safety awareness. WeTip was at the forefront of the movement, leading the charge for safer neighborhoods. This quickly expanded anonymous reporting on all major crimes.
Agencies throughout America have partnered with WeTip to launch anonymous reporting on Arson, Human Trafficking, Bullying, Fraud, Bank Robbery, and Sexual Abuse. President Ronald Reagan lauded WeTip as a “shining example of true community involvement.”
The Future of Anonymous Reporting
As we enter the next decade of growth, WeTip is now WeTip 2.0, powered by CatapultEMS. Our new solution provides interactive capabilities for law enforcement agencies to search and see tip data in their cities and counties. WeTip’s new processes, hardware and software will empower the new WeTip website to receive tips for decades to come.
WeTip invites all communities, schools and businesses to join together for safer neighborhoods for us all.