TIP LINE TO REPORT DRUG DEALERS GETS $30,000 GIFT

Donor 'Wants To Get Drug Dealers Off The Street,' Says Crime Stoppers Treasurer

An anonymous donor has given $30,000 to Sheboygan Countywide Crime
Stoppers to reward people who turn in drug dealers.

The money came from a businessperson who wants to remain anonymous,
said Lt. James Veeser of the Sheboygan Police Department.

"This person wanted to make a difference in the community," Veeser
said. "The main thing was to get the assistance of the citizens,
people to help fight this war on drugs."

Crime Stoppers had about $10,000 from fundraisers and contributions
for rewards for tips on all crimes, said Penny Weber, treasurer for
the organization's board of directors. Since the program's inception
in 1999, it has received 225 tips and paid out $5,000 in cash rewards
and allowed tipsters to remain anonymous.

The $30,000 donation is earmarked as reward money for people who
notify Crime Stoppers with tips on suspected drug dealers, Weber said.

"He just wants to get drug dealers off the street," Weber said of the
donor. "He said that he thought Crime Stoppers would be the
organization to help him do that."

Ann Fredricks, 74, a member of Neighbors Against Drugs, was thrilled
to hear about the Crime Stoppers donation.

"I think it's wonderful," said Fredricks, of Sheboygan. "I know Crime
Stoppers, they do solve quite a few crimes because of the lure of
money and if that's what it takes, well, it's wonderful that this
business person has done this."

Lamar Outdoor Advertising is donating the space for five billboards
and posters for all taverns in Sheboygan County, charging a nominal
fee for production work, said Kurt Weis, general manager for the
firm's southeast Wisconsin region.

"We're just going to put them up all through town whenever we have
some space available for them to help out the program," Weis said. "I
thought it was a worthwhile effort. We hope it helps out and
something comes out of it, something positive."

The billboards will have a wanted poster with a silhouette of a drug
dealer and they read, "Beware drug dealers, we're looking for you!!!"
along with the toll-free Crime Stoppers phone number.

Lt. Kurt Brasser of the Sheboygan Police Department, who heads the
Sheboygan County Drug Unit, said the contribution will help the Crime
Stoppers program a lot.

"Anytime that we can educate the public and encourage drug
information is a good thing," Brasser said. "I don't think we've
ever, to my recollection, in the county got this public in terms of
billboards and an actual program to encourage people to call."

Figures show a dramatic increase in the amount of crack cocaine,
methamphetamine and marijuana seized by the drug unit, Brasser said.

The drug unit seized a little more than nine ounces of crack cocaine
last year, up five ounces from the previous year; 3.5 pounds of
powder cocaine in both 2006 and 2005; more than four ounces of
methamphetamine in 2006, up from four grams in 2005; and 42 pounds of
marijuana, up 22.2 pounds from the previous year, Brasser said. The
drug unit also seized small amounts of opium, psilocybin mushrooms,
ecstasy, and oxycodone.

The majority of burglaries, thefts and robberies are done to get
money for drugs, Veeser said.

"Initially when crack cocaine came on the scene, the majority of
arrests were for users or low-level dealers," Veeser said. "Now . a
large majority of the individuals we arrest have a large quantity of
crack cocaine that they're selling in the community."