Page 8 - MidWeek - March 29, 2023

THE FUND WAY TO FIGHT CRIME THE FUND WAY TO FIGHT CRIME
8 MIDWEEK MARCH 29, 2023
Readers of MidWeek are fa- miliar with CrimeStoppers Honolulu — its Most Want- ed feature is published in these pag- es regularly — but may not know the organization is a nonprofit.
There will be live entertainment and a silent auction with prizes do- nated by Westin Hāpuna Beach Re- sort, Hoku’s at The Kāhala Hotel & Resort and Honolulu Cookie Co., among others.
team of civilian volunteers to an- swer its hotline,” he says. “All the other programs utilize a call cen- ter. When I get invited to
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STORY BY KAREN IWAMOTO // PHOTO BY LAWRENCE TABUDLO
“We’re not funded through the city, we’re not funded through the police department or the state,” says Chris Kim, CrimeStoppers Honolu- lu coordinator, who is also a Hono- lulu Police Department sergeant. “It’s strictly through donations and fundraisers.”
“We’re excited to finally be able to have our dinner gala,” Kim says. “It’s important for the community to know we’re having it (and) it’s important for the community to sup- port us.
speak at (CrimeStop- pers) conferences, they’re just in shock and amaze- ment when they hear we actual-
Unfortunately, the pandemic put those fundraisers on hold — until now. CrimeStoppers is hosting its first in-person fundraising gala in
“We rely on the police to fight crime, but we as a community, as an island, as a whole, have to do our part,” he adds.
ly have civilian volunteers that step up every sin- gle day to answer this hotline.”
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The money raised will cover CrimeStoppers’ overhead and oper- ational costs — and fund the cash re- wards it gives to anonymous tipsters whose information leads to arrests.
CrimeStoppers Ho- nolulu also includes the Student CrimeS- toppers and Animal CrimeStoppers pro- grams. More than 50 schools statewide participate in the for- mer program. The latter is run in part- nership with Hawai- ian Humane Society.
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Since its inception 42 years ago, Honolulu CrimeStoppers has helped close 8,900 cases, played a role in 3,000 arrests and paid more than $388,000 to unidentified individuals who provided critical information.
In 2019, Kim was named Coordi- nator of the Year at the CrimeStop- pers USA National Conference. The award was an honor for him — and the program he represents.
Table sponsor- ships at the gala start at $2,000. Individual tickets are $150. For more information on the gala or to make a donation, visit hono- lulucrimestoppers.org.
“I am proud to say CrimeStoppers in Honolulu is one of the few if not the only in the nation that utilizes a
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(Left) Supporters of CrimeStoppers Honolulu will gather for the first time in three years for the program’s fundraising gala on April 6.
PHOTO COURTESY CRIMESTOPPERS HONOLULU (Right) Sgt. Chris Kim, CrimeStoppers Honolulu coordinator