Richmond County Crimestoppers makes a splash in downtown Hamlet

Hundreds converged in downtown Hamlet for the annual Richmond County Crimestoppers Kickoff to Summer Fundraiser.

The event featured numerous activities for all ages with water slides, games, a car show and free snow cones provided by the Hamlet Police Department.

“We always have it this time every year. It usually falls on the same day as graduation. This year it is not. We have a waterslide, free snow cones complement of the Hamlet Police Department, a super-soaker complement of the Hamlet Fire Department, and we have some freebies we’re giving away to create awareness of Crimestoppers,” said Mechelle Preslar, Hamlet downtown events coordinator and Richmond County Crimestoppers Board Member. “The best thing about Crimestoppers, and the P3 system, is there is an app. We have stickers with the QR code on it. Plus, there is a number to call. It is completely anonymous. It allows you to call and report a crime.”

Part of the proceeds raised Friday will go to providing tips to cases that receive a successful conviction. Preslar said her organization provided three “tips” last year and hopes to provide more in this year.

“Our board is made up of volunteers. We’re all volunteers that meet monthly. We work with the sheriff’s department, the Rockingham Police Department, the Hamlet Police Department and we are able to raise money at the fundraiser and turnaround and pay tips to help officers solve some hard-to-solve cases. It’s a great feeling,” Preslar said.

For Hamlet PD Major Hudson Chitwood, who also sits on the Richmond County Crimestoppers Board, Crimestoppers is an invaluable program because of the lengths it takes to keep tipsters anonymous.

“It’s always anonymous, and the payouts are also anonymous … Those tips lead to a really good reduction in crime, and solving investigations that really matter to this community. [The kickoff] is great. We had a lot of snow cones handed out and a lot of people turned out. We would like to see them again next year,” Chitwood said.

Chitwood said the enhanced digital capabilities make it easier for citizens to report crimes and have a more active role in keeping their communities safe.

“We recognize it’s really inconvenient or maybe even dangerous for someone to share something about a crime. By having this medium to work through, that’s anonymous, it really helps us and the community people live in to share this information,” he said.

For more information on Richmond County Crimestoppers, or to find out their next fundraiser, check them out on their Facebook page.