which started in 1983, linked students with law enforcement agencies for the first time in Boulder, Colorado. And since then over 800 educational institutions have requested information from the Scholastic Crime Stoppers Programme and its creator, Colorado Police officer Larry Wieda. Assistant Commissioner of Police Mr. Wayne Perinchief told The Royal Gazette that the head of Crime Stoppers International had already been to some of the schools on the Island in March. Retired Texas Judge Mr. Richard Carter visited local schools, including Mount St. Agnes Academy and Berkeley Institute to speak to students about the idea of Crime Stoppers. The deputy chairman of Crime Stoppers Bermuda the Rev. Leonard Santucci explained the idea of the Scholastic Crime Stoppers programme. He said: "It introduces the concept of crime prevention to children while they are in their formative years in the hope that they will develop or adopt an anti-crime attitude.'' And Mr. Wieda said the programme is similar to Crime Stoppers International as it allows students to provide information to administration about crimes while remaining anonymous. He said the students receive a monetary reward ranging from $5 to Kids to take action against crime percent of students ever collect the rewards which reveal the motivating factors for the students is school spirit, pride and responsibility. The Scholastic Crime Stoppers programme allows students to take action against victimisation and crime. Rev. Santucci said the civilian Board of Directors was hoping to work with officials in both the public and private education system with the aim of introducing the programme to schools around the Island.

But the board was still in the process of organising the programme for its official launch on September 12 said Rev. Santucci. He noted this meant "working on a massive marketing process that would involve the media'' to get the main programme up and running. He said once this was done the Board of Directors could begin getting the programme started in schools. Rev. Santucci said his "immediate involvement at Bermuda College'' was unlikely as he was also the Admissions Director at the college. "Sometimes it is better to bring in an outsider to avoid role confusion,'' he explained. But he said there were more than sufficient people to be invited to "spread the message'' about the programme. The college would not be able to donate money to the Crime Stopper's reward fund said Rev. Santucci. He explained this was because the college was Government funded so if it was to give money to Crime Stoppers then it would be Government giving money to Crime Stoppers. He said this was something the programme did not allow. But the college would be able to donate the use of its facilities to Crime Stoppers said Rev. Santucci. PHOTO STOPPING CRIME - Shown are members of the community who have volunteered their services to help the Police fight crime on the Island. From left to right are Mr. Fred Beach, Ms Rosemarie DeShields, Mr. Russell Southern, Mr. John Drew, Mr. McNeil Warner, Assistant Police Commissioner Mr. Wayne Perinchief, Rev. Leonard Santucci and Mr. Ralph Richardson.

AMNESTY RESULTS - Crime Stoppers Bermuda wants people to know that they can anonymously inform the Police about people who have guns. These were turned in at the recent gun amnesty.