STUDENTS CAN EARN $50 FOR CRIME TIPS

Arrowhead Launches CrimeStoppers Program

Town of Merton - Informing on classmates who break the law at Arrowhead
High School last year could have given students at the school the
satisfaction of keeping their school safe.

This year, it could also earn them some cash.

Arrowhead is joining a growing number of schools in Waukesha County that
offer students money if their tips of illegal activity by fellow students
pan out.

The CrimeStoppers "Quick 50" program promises students can earn $50 if
their tips lead to the recovery of weapons, drugs or alcohol on campus.
Their identities remain known only to their school's law enforcement
officer, school administrators or CrimeStoppers, depending on where they
take the information.

"It's a good way to, hopefully, get information," said Arrowhead school
resource officer David Merrell, a Waukesha County sheriff's deputy. "You
put up $50, and a kid comes with good information, and they get a quick 50
bucks."

By and large, students obey the law while they're at school, Arrowhead
Superintendent David Lodes said. But the program could add an extra safeguard.

"One of the things we're always looking for is information when situations
arise," Lodes said. "And this is a very structured program. . . . If you
only use it once, and it leads to success, it's worth it. Plus, it aligns
with our citizenship initiative here: Kids are expected to do what's right."

But paying students for tips has had limited results in other schools in
the county.

The "Quick 50" program at Hamilton High School got off to an admittedly
"slow start" this year, according to Hamilton school resource officer Mark
Nihoris, a sheriff's deputy who is on the Waukesha County CrimeStoppers'
board of directors.

The program started in March, but Nihoris didn't make a payout for a solid
tip until early October, after he had also started a campaign to raise
awareness about the program among students.

Since then, however, he has paid $350 for information - all of it drug-related.

"A lot of kids are reluctant to snitch on their friends or snitch on other
people," Nihoris said. But "a lot of times kids get mad at their friends
and want to snitch on them, and it's a good way to get the drugs out of the
school."

In Brookfield, where the schools have had the "Quick 50" program since
March 2000, it helped nab a vandal who used a key to scratch cars in the
parking lot of Brookfield Central High School last year, police Lt. Mark
Millard said.

But it's been used sparingly since then.

"It's still an active program, but it's on an as-needed basis," he said.
"So, if the principal needs money (to pay for tips), he can use it."

Some Prefer Anonymity

Waukesha North High School also offers students money for information. But
Waukesha Superintendent David Schmidt said many students prefer to preserve
their anonymity by calling in tips rather than collect money from
administrators for them.

Waukesha County District Attorney Paul Bucher estimated CrimeStoppers pays
about $250 in each school for the starting year of the "Quick 50" program
and that it doesn't rise much.

Still, he said, students can give valuable information.

"It's not going to be a big dollar figure for us, but, nevertheless, it
could produce some big results," he said.

Several Arrowhead High School students said Wednesday they supported the
effort at their school.

"I think that'll help," said freshman Karsten Koch of Nashotah. "It'll
encourage kids to report things that are going on so there aren't any
incidents."

Junior Katie Jacobs agreed, saying it could help students overcome the
feeling that they're a "tattletale" or "ratting on someone."

But she said she wouldn't need $50 to report on something illegal if she
saw it at her school.

"It's scary now because of all the terrorism acts," she said. "It would be
scary to know someone has a gun and I didn't report it."

Juniors Josh Davies and Christie Pollak said they think paying for tips is
a good idea.

They said they don't see weapons or drugs at the school but they often hear
students talking about drug and alcohol use.

"I think it could work," said Davies.