Stopping Crime Is Every Citizen's Responsibility

Texas Crime Stoppers offers education, training, and resources to law enforcement agencies and the general public. Stopping crime is the responsibility of every citizen.

If you have information about the location of a fugitive, contact Texas Crime Stoppers, 24 hours a day, at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477). You DO NOT have to give your name, and you could earn up to a $1,000 CASH REWARD.

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Gov. Perry: Warning Signs Along Border Must be Heeded by Washington

Governor addresses TPPF shortly after greeting President Obama

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today described the rapid escalation of drug cartel-related killings in northern Mexico, and said that absent federal action it was only a matter of time before communities on the Texas side of the border would be further swept up in the violence.

“Washington has been an abject failure at securing the border, leaving it vulnerable to exploitation, and our citizens exposed to grave danger,” Gov. Perry said. “An unsecured US-Mexico border is a serious national security threat, menacing the safety and security of our citizens, and the federal government is obligated to secure it. Our citizens deserve the best possible effort to protect them from this advancing network of criminal gangs.”

Gov. Perry spoke to the Texas Public Policy Foundation shortly after a brief meeting with President Obama on the tarmac at Austin Bergstrom Airport as the president exited Air Force One. The governor presented President Obama with a four-page letter outlining his concerns about the state of border security and the growing threats posed by drug cartels and transnational gangs.

“Drug cartels and related forces are waging war in Northern Mexico, their tactics including death threats, torture, car bombings, kidnappings, assassinations and beheadings. Since 2006, this war has taken 28,000 lives,” Gov. Perry wrote in the letter. “We cannot afford to allow these cartels to believe they’re free to extend their reach across the border onto American soil.”

A series of incidents in Texas indicate the violence has already begun reaching U.S. communities, Gov. Perry said, noting a midlevel member of the Juarez Cartel living in El Paso was shot eight times outside of his Texas residence in May 2009; Mexican pirate attacks occurred on Falcon Reservoir in May; and bullets from a gun battle in Juarez struck El Paso City Hall in June.

Gov. Perry also reiterated his request for 1,000 Title 32 National Guard troops to be deployed in Texas, along with an increase in other resources.

To view Gov. Perry’s letter to President Obama, please visit:

http://governor.state.tx.us/files/press-office/080910_PerryObamaletter.pdf

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How to Raise a Lot More Money Now. Click here.

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The United States Drug Enforcement Agency is in the process of studying the effects os Salvia, an herbal supplement that is rapidly gaining popularity among teens who are smoking it to get high. The plant is very dangerous when abused and when smoked it causes powerful hallucinations. To read more about Salvia click here.

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IRS Offers One-Time Special Filing Relief Program for Small Charities; Oct. 15 Due Date to Preserve Tax-Exempt Status
IR-2010-87, July 26, 2010

WASHINGTON — Small nonprofit organizations at risk of losing their tax-exempt status because they failed to file required returns for 2007, 2008 and 2009 can preserve their status by filing returns by Oct. 15, 2010, under a one-time relief program, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.

The IRS today posted on a special page of IRS.gov the names and last-known addresses of these at-risk organizations, along with guidance about how to come back into compliance. The organizations on the list have return due dates between May 17 and Oct. 15, 2010, but the IRS has no record that they filed the required returns for any of the past three years.

“We are doing everything we can to help organizations comply with the law and keep their valuable tax exemption,” IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said. “So if you do not have your filings up to date, now’s the time to take action and get back on track.”

Two types of relief are available for small exempt organizations — a filing extension for the smallest organizations required to file Form 990-N, Electronic Notice (e-Postcard) , and a voluntary compliance program (VCP) for small organizations eligible to file Form 990-EZ, Short Form Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax.

Small organizations required to file Form 990-N simply need to go to the IRS website, supply the eight information items called for on the form, and electronically file it by Oct. 15. That will bring them back into compliance.

Under the VCP, tax-exempt organizations eligible to file Form 990-EZ must file their delinquent annual information returns by Oct. 15 and pay a compliance fee. Details about the VCP are on the IRS website, along with frequently asked questions.

The relief announced today is not available to larger organizations required to file the Form 990 or to private foundations that file the Form 990-PF.

The IRS will keep today’s list of at-risk organizations on IRS.gov until Oct. 15, 2010. Organizations that have not filed the required information returns by that date will have their tax-exempt status revoked, and the IRS will publish a list of these revoked organizations in early 2011. Donors who contribute to at-risk organizations are protected until the final revocation list is published.

The Pension Protection Act of 2006 made two important changes affecting tax-exempt organizations, effective the beginning of 2007. First, it mandated that all tax-exempt organizations, other than churches and church-related organizations, must file an annual return with the IRS. The Form 990-N was created for small tax-exempt organizations that had not previously had a filing requirement. Second, the law also required that any tax-exempt organization that fails to file for three consecutive years automatically loses its federal tax-exempt status. The IRS conducted an extensive outreach effort about this new legal requirement but, even so, many organizations have not filed returns on time.

If an organization loses its exemption, it will have to reapply with the IRS to regain its tax-exempt status. Any income received between the revocation date and renewed exemption may be taxable.

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Certification expires in October for the following programs.

Direct your questions concerning continued certification to Byron Bullock at 512-463-1824
or byron.bullock@governor.state.tx.us

1. Baylor County Crime Stoppers, Inc.  
2. Bee County Crime Stoppers      
3. Brenham/Washington County Crime Stoppers  
4. Heart of Texas Crime Stoppers aka Brown County Crime Stoppers 
5. Childress County Crime Stoppers
6. Colorado County Crime Stoppers
7. Harlingen Area Crime Stoppers 
8. Houston Crime Stoppers  
9. Kimble County Crime Stoppers, Inc.
10. Kingsville Crime Stoppers 
11. Laredo Crime Stoppers
12. Matagorda County Crime Stoppers
13. Odessa Crime Stoppers
14. Swisher County Crime Stoppers
    

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Texas Crime Stoppers programs pass 25 year milestone.
For all the details and list of programs click here.

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Registration is now open for the 22nd Annual Texas Crime Stoppers Conference, October 11-13 in Abilene, Texas.
For full details and registration form click here.

Nominations are now being accepted for the annual Texas Best Awards presented at the annual conference in Abilene.
For a downloadable nominations packet click here.

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DPS targets Most Wanted Sex Offenders.
For the full story click here.

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WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service reminds tax-exempt organizations to make sure they file their annual information form on time. In 2010 the tax-exempt status of any non-profit that has not filed the required form in the last three years will be revoked.

The Pension Protection Act of 2006 requires that non-profit organizations that do not file a required information form for three consecutive years automatically lose their Federal tax-exempt status. This requirement has been in effect since the beginning of 2007.

A list of revoked organizations will be available to the public, as well as state charity and tax officials on the IRS website.

If an organization loses its exemption, it will have to reapply with the IRS to regain its tax-exempt status. Any income received between the revocation date and renewed exemption may be taxable.

Small non-profit organizations with annual receipts of $25,000 or less can file an electronic notice, Form 990-N ( e-Postcard). They will need only a few basic pieces of information to file: the organization’s employer identification number, its tax year, legal name and mailing address, any other names used, an Internet address if one exists, the name and address of a principal officer and a statement confirming the organization's annual gross receipts are normally $25,000 or less.

Tax-exempt organizations with annual receipts above $25,000 are required to file the Form 990 or the Form 990-EZ annually. Private foundations file Form 990-PF. Churches and integrated auxiliaries of churches are not required to file Form 990-series returns or notices.

Form 990-series returns and e-Postcards, are due by the 15th day of the 5th month after an organization’s tax year ends. For more information visit the IRS web site.

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2009 Texas Crime Stoppers Statewide Statistics

Campus programs (public schools, universities)
2,480 cases cleared
1,745 administratively disciplined
$37,015 value of property recovered
$19,941 value of narcotics seized
128 weapons seized


Community programs

• 6,185 suspects arrested
  8,579 cases cleared
  $3,070,230 value of property recovered
  $49,984,108 value of narcotics seized

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Training

For information about upcoming training opportunities, please click here.

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Texas Crime Stoppers Council

Established by the Texas Legislature within the Governor's Criminal Justice Division, the council is comprised of members appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The council is responsible for certifying local programs and providing oversight and policy direction for the Texas Crime Stoppers Program.

Contact your council members here.

The next council meeting is August 5, 2010 at 1:00 p.m. in Conroe, Texas.

For the specific meeting location and a meeting agenda click here.

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Contact Texas Crime Stoppers

Texas Crime Stoppers Training and Technical Assistance
Texas State University-San Marcos
601 University Drive
San Marcos, Texas 78666-4610
Toll Free: 866-220-4357
512-245-0571
FAX 512-245-2851
gl02@txstate.edu