Program Overview

Scholastic Crime Stoppers evolved out of Crime Stoppers International. In 1983, an officer with the Boulder, Colorado, Police Department established the first Scholastic Crime Stoppers in the United States. The program allowed students to provide tips about crimes on campus to the school administration. Students could remain anonymous to prevent retaliation. To overcome apathy, students were offered monetary rewards if their tip proved instrumental in solving a crime. 

Since then, Scholastic Crime Stoppers programs have expanded across the country, including throughout the state of Kansas. In Topeka, Seaman High School operates a Scholastic Crime Stoppers program on their campus to assist with identifying and providing rewards for tips reported by students.

Shawnee County Crime Stoppers provides some monetary support to the program, as well as guidance and mentorship for student board members. Students have the opportunity to learn leadership, communications, teamwork, and other valuable skills through participation in the program.

The Seaman High School Scholastic Crime Stoppers program contact is Susan Sittenauer. 

Program Expansion

We are always looking for other Shawnee County schools interested in starting a Scholastic Crime Stoppers program. If interested in discussing further, contact Shawnee County Crime Stoppers Coordinator Jeri Cole. 

When to Report Crime

• Maybe you overhear someone bragging about having committed a crime.
• Maybe you know someone who is driving a stolen car...or is hiding from the police...or is a robber or drug dealer.
• Or maybe you just see something that doesn't look right. A strange car. A person acting sneaky. Someone with a gun or knife.

If you aren't sure that what you saw or heard is really a crime, call anyway or use the P3 Tips app. Let the police decide if it's worth investigating. It may be a piece of a clue to a big crime.