Policy Text
Policy
603Fremont Police Department
Silent Witness Program
603.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to set forth a systematic procedure for the solving of crimes by offering
rewards to anonymous informants. The Silent Witness Program is an attempt by the Fremont
Police Department to solve crimes by offering rewards to anonymous informants.
603.2 PROCEDURES
The Captain in charge of the Special Operations Division will be the Project Manager of the Silent
Witness Program. The Silent Witness telephone will be located in the Investigative Division. The
Captain in charge of the Special Operations Division will assign an Administrative Assistant to
monitor the Silent Witness telephone for messages. The Administrative Assistant will listen to the
messages and determine the proper sergeant to forward the information.
(a)If the sergeant is of the opinion a reward to an anonymous informant may assist in the
identification of a suspect/s, the case should be referred to the Captain in charge of
the Special Operations Division.
1.The Special Operations Division Captain will review the case and make a
determination whether or not a reward will be issued and the amount of the
reward. The amount of the reward to be paid should be based on the following
factors: the importance of the information, the nature of the crime, the value
of the recovered stolen property, the value of the narcotics seized, the number
of cases cleared, the risk to the informant, and the possibility of the informant
becoming a continuing source of information.
2.If a reward is to be issued, a summary of the case and the amount of the reward
may be distributed by the Press Information Officer to the media via a News
Release.
3.The Special Operations Division Captain in consultation with the Crimes Against
Persons Sergeant and the Crimes Against Property Sergeant may issue a
reward requesting information leading to the arrest of an identified wanted
fugitive.
(b)Rewards will be paid if any of the following criteria are met:
1.If the information leads to the identification of a suspect and the District Attorney
files a criminal complaint, a reward will be paid to the Silent Witness.
2.If a reward is issued for information leading to the apprehension of an identified
fugitive and the information provided by the Silent Witness leads to the
apprehension of the fugitive, the reward will be paid.
3.The Investigative Division Captain in consultation with the Crimes Against
Persons Sergeant and the Crimes Against Property Sergeant will allocate the
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/05/09, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Fremont Police DepartmentSilent Witness Program - 1
Fremont Police Department
Silent Witness Program
percentage of the reward to be distributed in any case in which two or more
Silent Witnesses call in relevant information on the same case.
Funding for the Silent Witness Program will come from the Police Department budget and from
public donations. The Special Operations Division Captain or his/her designee will be responsible
for the solicitation of public donations and for maintaining a log of incoming funding designated for
specific cases. The Special Operations Division Captain or his/her designee will be responsible
for maintaining a log of incoming funding and rewards paid. The reward money, including any and
all citizen contributions, will be maintained in an appropriate Police Department bank account.
Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/05/09, All Rights Reserved.
Published with permission by Fremont Police DepartmentSilent Witness Program - 2