How it Works
Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers uses a simple, three-part approach to help solve crimes: the community, law enforcement, and our Crime Stoppers program working together.
Community members share what they know, Crime Stoppers protects their identity, and law enforcement uses the information to investigate.
Submit a Tip – Your Way
P3 Tips App
Download the P3 Tips app on your smartphone and submit your tip in just minutes. Once you select our program in the app, you can send information instantly and stay connected through secure, anonymous messaging.
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No name, no phone number, and no address required
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You receive a confidential Tip ID and password
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Add additional details at any time
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Securely check for updates, follow-up questions, and reward information
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Your identity stays 100% anonymous
The P3 Tips app is the safest and most efficient way to communicate with Crime Stoppers while protecting your privacy.
Online Tip Form
You can also submit a tip online through our secure P3 web form.
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Completely anonymous
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Encrypted and hosted off-site
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Allows secure two-way messaging between you and the coordinator without ever revealing who you are
Anonymous Tip Line (Available, But Not Required)
If you prefer to call, you can still use our anonymous Crime Stoppers tip line.
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We do not record calls
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We do not use caller ID
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We do not ask for your name or personal information
(For your privacy and accuracy, we recommend the P3 app or online form whenever possible.)
What Happens to Your Tip?
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Your tip is received by a Crime Stoppers coordinator, not a patrol officer.
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The coordinator reviews your information, may ask follow-up questions through P3’s secure two-way messaging, and then
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Forwards the relevant details to the appropriate law enforcement agency (Tyler PD, Smith County Sheriff’s Office, or another partner agency) for investigation.
Throughout this process:
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Your identity is never known to Crime Stoppers or law enforcement.
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You are identified only by your tip ID number, not your name.
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You can log back into P3 to add more details or check for reward updates.
Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers is a community-run, non-profit program. We are not law enforcement, but we work closely with local agencies to get your information into the right hands.
Rewards & Board Review
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Our civilian Board of Directors meets regularly to review eligible cases.
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When a tip helps lead to an arrest or significant progress in a case, the Board may approve a cash reward, up to $1,000.
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Rewards are picked up in a way that protects your anonymity—you never give your name, and we never meet you as “you.”
Many tipsters choose not to collect a reward at all. Others do—and their identities still remain protected.
How Crime Stoppers Is Funded
Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers is funded through:
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Private donations
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Local business support and sponsorships
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Community fundraising events
These contributions allow us to maintain the P3 system, promote the program, and pay rewards—all while keeping tipsters anonymous.
Stay Connected
You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn to:
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See featured cold cases and “Crime of the Week” shoutouts
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Learn about arrests made with the help of Crime Stoppers tips
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Stay informed about community safety and events
For your privacy, please do NOT submit tips by social media comments or direct messages.
To stay truly anonymous, always use the P3 Tips app, online tip form, or our anonymous tip line.
Does Crime Stoppers Work?
Yes — Crime Stoppers works because our community works together. Across the nation and here in Smith County, anonymous tips have helped solve cases involving violent crime, missing persons, drug activity, theft, firearms offenses, and more. When people have a safe, anonymous way to speak up, they do — and it makes a measurable difference.
But the impact of Crime Stoppers is bigger than solved cases:
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The community becomes more aware of local safety concerns.
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Residents feel empowered to speak up when they know their identity is protected.
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Law enforcement gains valuable information they may not have received through traditional methods.
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Trust improves between the public, the media, and law enforcement partners.
Crime Stoppers has proven to be a trusted, effective, and long-standing tool for helping solve crimes while protecting those who provide information. The overwhelming engagement from the public shows that when people are given a safe and anonymous way to report what they know, they choose to help make their community safer.