Crimestoppers Executive Director Darlene Cusanza and Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Richard Baumy and Col. John Doran participated in Chamber luncheon

Posted: January 24th, 2014 | Filed under: News Releases, SBSO News

Darlene Cusanza, third from left, executive director of the group Crimestoppers, was guest speaker at the St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon on Jan. 22, discussing the group's program to receive tips about crimes and pass them on to law enforcement. She is shown with, from left, Col. John Doran and Chief Deputy Sheriff Richard Baumy of the St. Bernard Sheriff's Office, Fred Sigur, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce for 2014; Cindi Meyer, Chamber vice-chairman; and Stephen Reuther, chief executive officer of the Chamber. Photo by Michael B. Chutz/Chamber of Commerce.

Darlene Cusanza, third from left, executive director of the group Crimestoppers, was guest speaker at the St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon on Jan. 22, discussing the group’s program to receive tips about crimes and pass them on to law enforcement. She is shown with, from left, Col. John Doran and Chief Deputy Sheriff Richard Baumy of the St. Bernard Sheriff’s Office, Fred Sigur, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce for 2014; Cindi Meyer, Chamber vice-chairman; and Stephen Reuther, chief executive officer of the Chamber. Photo by Michael B. Chutz/Chamber of Commerce.

Darlene Cusanza, executive director of Crimestoppers — the organization which receives hotline tips about criminal cases it feeds to a variety of law enforcement agencies – told the St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce on Jan. 22 her group has worked closely with St. Bernard’s Sheriff’s Office for years.

Numerous tips received by her group and forwarded to St. Bernard Parish authorities have helped solve crimes, she said.

Cusanza, in a presentation as guest at the Chamber’s monthly luncheon, said the fact tips Crimestoppers receives can be made anonymously, with rewards offered for information leading to arrests, has been important in getting the public’s cooperation.

“Our program is completely anonymous,’’ Cusanza said. “We are not the police but we pass information on to law enforcement agencies.’’

Crimestoppers feeds tips it receives to about 10 parishes in the New Orleans area, which has led to hundreds of arrests, Cusanza said.

Tips can be made anonymously to (504) 822-1111 or to Crimestoppers’ web site at www.crimestoppersgno.org.

The group has forwarded to the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office 53 tips the last two years it received about criminal cases in St. Bernard, Cusanza said. There were 26 tips received and forwarded last year and 27 in 2012.

Those tips helped lead to six arrests in 2013 involving a total of 14 criminal charges stemming from crimes committed in St. Bernard, said Cusanza, long-time head of the Crimestoppers group, which is based in Jefferson Parish.

In 2012, she told an audience of mostly Chamber members, tips which Crimestoppers received and forwarded to St. Bernard led to seven arrests, resulting in 11 total charges.

Cusanza said St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann served as the go-between from the Sheriff’s Office and Crimestoppers even before he was elected and the agencies continue to have a good relationship.

Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Sheriff Richard Baumy and Col. John Doran, head of operations which includes commander of all enforcement divisions, also participated in the Chamber function.

Doran said the Sheriff’s Office appreciates the help law enforcement receives through the Crimestoppers program.

He acknowledged that because the group is separate from law enforcement makes it attractive for some people who have knowledge about certain crimes.

“Some people may be more comfortable calling them rather than dealing with police,’’ Doran said. The important thing is the information gets received and forwarded to law enforcement, he said.