MEMPHIS, Tenn. — You hear us share it after most crime stories – dial 901-528-CASH if you can help police solve a crime.
You can see it online too.
But are people calling? An antigun violence advocate who started his own tip line shares that people are worried about retaliation.
“The reason I know it works is because two years ago, when I first started that line in less than five months I got three murders reported on it,” Stevie Moore, antigun violence advocate, said.
The father has been on a mission.
“The only problem is we’re not reaching the people who need the programs,” Moore said. “We got churches here we got great preachers, but the hood doesn’t go to church. The church got to go to the hood.”
He founded the non-profit, F.F.U.N., also known as Freedom from Unnecessary Negatives. The signs of which are posted in most blocks heavily seeing homicides and shootings.
He started the organization after making a promise to his son, who was fatally shot in the head.
“What sent me to jail we don’t have anymore,” Moore said. “It’s called nosy neighbors. We are afraid of retaliation.”
At the time, Moore turned tips he got from callers straight in to the former MPD director.
He routinely asks young men on the street, “Mane, why don’t you call 901-528-CASH, ‘man I ain’t calling no police,’ that is the problem we have no relationship with law enforcement."
“A large number of our solved cases are solved originally because tips came in,” newly-elected Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said.
Mulroy said those tips will sometimes identify the perpetrator or give authorities key pieces on information.
But he believes police need more.
“That means providing tips, it means serving as witnesses, it means reporting crimes,” the D.A. pointed out.
Mulroy shared what needs to be done to restore neighbors’ confidence in police when reporting crimes.
“Tips that are coming into CrimeStoppers are absolutely confidential. Second, in those cases where there is legitimate concern about retaliation we have the WRAP 901, witness relocation assistance program,” Mulroy said.
The D.A. said Memphis has a backlog of hundreds of violent trials.
Plus, hundreds of unsolved cases within MPD’s cold case unit – explaining community engagement is critical.
“When we lock people up, we’ve got to have some programs for them so that when they are released, they almost always will be released there are realistic alternatives to life on the street,” Mulroy said.
Mulroy added he’s confident in MPD Chief CJ Davis as his office works on wide-ranging criminal justice reform.
Meanwhile Moore answers what neighbors can all do to put a dent in crime – provide mentorship.