About us / board & leadership

Virginia Beach Crimes Solvers, Incorporated is a non-profit organization, owned and operated by a civilian board of directors. Duties of the board include fundraising, promoting the program, deciding the amount of rewards, public speaking engagements, and networking with Crime Stoppers USA and other Crime Stoppers Program.

The original Crime Stoppers program was created in 1976 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Citizens were encouraged to call in crime tips and promised anonymity and cash rewards. Virginia Beach Crime Solvers was established in 1982 by a group of local business owners responding to the growing crime rate. Our program quickly became a world leader in helping law enforcement solve and prevent felony crime.

Apply to Become a Board Member

The Crime Solvers Board of Directors is limited to a total of 30 members, whose duties include, but are not limited to, FUNDRAISING and the PROMOTION of the PROGRAM to the general public.

If you are interested in joining the Board of Directors, please contact Ross Forster or Ruth Ann Steenburgh through Crime Solvers at 757-385-8998 or 757-385-8995. You may also email us at VBCrime@vbgov.com. All prospective board members will be required to undergo a criminal background check.

What Virginia Beach Crime Solvers Does:

Virginia Beach Crime Solvers utilizes 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, a telephone tip line. You can also go to www.P3Tips.com, download the mobile app P3tips to submit an anonymous tip online or mobile. Information about criminal activity is received and transferred to law enforcement for immediate action. Callers are promised anonymity and cash rewards of up to $1,500 in exchange for their accurate crime tips. Our organization provides a safe forum for citizens to report crime in their neighborhoods without the fear of retaliation. We are the eyes and ears of law enforcement in the community.

Crime Solvers is not a police program or a media program. It is an independent community organization working in partnership with the Virginia Beach Police Department to make Virginia Beach a safer place to live, work, and play.

History of Crime Solvers:

The Crime Stoppers concept started in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1976. A teen was shot and murdered during a robbery, in a well-traveled, well-lit area of town on a busy Friday night. Weeks of investigation turned up no clues, and no one who saw the incident offered information or assistance.

Detectives decided that there were two reasons why no one offered assistance on this case. Either the public was afraid for their own physical safety from the culprits or they just did not care or want to get involved.

To solve the problem of fear for their well being, tipsters were offered anonymity, and to combat apathy they were offered cash rewards. Police could not offer rewards for anonymous information, so they needed a community board that could raise the money and pay the rewards. The community stepped up to the plate in masses.

In order to spread a detailed account of the crime to the community as well as the anonymity and rewards, they needed the help of the media. Assistance was offered by the media and the first ever Crime Stoppers reenactment was done. It resulted in a case-solving tip the very next day! Furthermore, it also solved 4-5 other violent crimes.

Word spread quickly regarding this incident and soon there were other U.S. programs and Crime Stoppers U.S.A. was formed. In 1982, Canada followed thus in 1984 Crime Stoppers International was born. Virginia Crime Stoppers Association formed in 1982 and currently there are 56 active programs throughout the Commonwealth.

Currently there are 1,192 recorded programs throughout the world. Countries with programs are: Antigua, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands, Fiji, Great Britain, Jamaica, Korea, Micronesia, Northern Marianas, Northern Ireland, Palau, Poland, Puerto Rico, South Africa, Netherlands, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, and the Ukraine.