“Nobody wants to admit that we have a crime problem,” Jeff McWhorter, the chairman of the Board of Directors of Polk County Crime Stoppers, said during a program he recently provided for the Rotary Club of Livingston.
“Last year there were 167 tips reported. Of those 167, we paid out on 43 for a total of $5,442,” he said.
McWhorter said they actually received over 6,000 tips over the course of 2025, although many of those were for other areas and agencies with many even being from out of state.
“We have a coordinator in conjunction with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office who determines where the tips go,” he said.
“Polk County Crime Stoppers guarantees the tipster’s anonymity,” he said, adding, “Some people don’t want to report tips because they’re worried they’ll have to testify or they fear retaliation.
There are two ways to report a tip. One is to call the telephone number which is 936-327-STOP. The other is an app on a smart phone called P3 tips where the tipster is given a tip number and a pass phrase.
He said the current technology has been beneficial in that a tip was received from San Antonio for a Polk Countian via the P3 tip system.
“We will be launching some new initiatives – bill boards and a QR code. We’re working on trying to bring more awareness of Crime Stoppers,” McWhorter said, commenting that they had a booth at Hometown Christmas
“We just got back from a training conference in Galveston. We have to do that for certification, at least the coordinator and one board member, but we had five go to training this year,” he said.
As for how the monetary tip is decided, he said tipsters may receive up to a $1,000 cash reward. He said it is based on a point system whereby various points will give a recommended amount.
“On average our tips pay out about $250-$500, but we can adjust the amount if necessary,” he said, adding, “We’ve had tips that led to arrests for fugitives from out of state.”
The Polk County Chapter serves under the Texas Crime Stoppers and was founded in 1986.
“From our beginning in 1986 until Dec. 31, 2025, we have received well over 7,000 tips resulting in well over 2,700 arrests,” McWhorter said.
During that time, 1,047 active cases have been cleared, $2.2 million in stolen property has been recovered and over $588,000 worth of drugs have been seized, he said.
Approximately half of the funding for Crime Stoppers comes from probation fees and court costs, with the remainder coming from donations, sponsorships and fundraisers.
McWhorter said Polk County Crime Stoppers currently has an umbrella program that Livingston ISD falls under for things like bullying, vapes, vandalism. He said they are working to expand on that to additional schools in Polk County.
“And we’re always looking for new people,” he said.
