ADRIAN — Crime Stoppers of Lenawee is officially shutting down after 22 years of operation. At Thursday’s Criminal Justice Committee meeting, program leaders cited declining law enforcement engagement and the growing use of social media by police departments as key reasons for the closure.
Launched in 2003 by then-Sheriff Larry Richardson and local community leaders, the nonprofit program allowed residents to anonymously submit tips about crimes, fugitives, or suspicious activity. Dispatchers received calls through a dedicated tip line, which were then reviewed and passed along by a detective coordinator. The program remained separate from law enforcement agencies to protect tipster anonymity, while still partnering closely with the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Office.
Over the past eight years, Crime Stoppers of Lenawee received 1,480 tips, including 80 tips already submitted in 2025. The group says it paid out thousands of dollars in rewards over the course of its operation. However, the last few years saw a decline in tip requests from law enforcement agencies. Board members said social media platforms are increasingly being used by police to request information directly from the public, bypassing traditional third-party programs.
The Sheriff’s Office is planning to create a replacement tip line to continue accepting anonymous information from the public. Officials said efforts are underway to preserve the phone infrastructure as the Crime Stoppers organization winds down.
The program was housed by Lenawee County, which provided two phone lines and server space for tip management. The closure is not due to funding issues, but rather a lack of consistent agency usage.
While the Crime Stoppers program is coming to a close, officials hope that a new local reporting tool, managed through the Sheriff’s Office, will continue to give residents a secure and anonymous way to assist law enforcement. Details on the new system are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.