CRIME STOPPERS was the idea of Greg MacAleese, a police officer in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1976. He realized for just about every crime, a witness or someone else besides the offender knew about it and could help police solve the case. The challenge was to get the right information from the right person, at the right time. The only question seemed to be, "How do you motivate people to get involved?" His idea took a two-pronged approach: To overcome apathy, offer cash rewards. To overcome people's fear of involvement or retaliation, ensure anonymity.

He tried this approach while working in one of the city's highest crime areas as a patrolman – using his own money and allowing people to call him at home. A dramatic increase in felony arrests and a sudden decrease in the crime rate resulted. Thankfully, the media didn't hesitate to get involved. The Albuquerque Tribune agreed to feature a "Crime of the Week" on the front page of each Monday's paper. They've been true to their word for the past four years.

Other parts of the program fell into place quickly. The reward fund now comes from the general public, not through tax dollars. A civilian Board of Directors lends integrity to the program. It was decided that rewards would only be paid after information received produced a tangible result. Rewards would be paid upon indictment, instead of waiting for conviction – speeding payment of rewards to callers. And, a major court test concerning the anonymity promised a witness by CRIME STOPPERS strengthened the program's credibility.

Other communities quickly discovered that the program also could be effective for them. In El Paso, Texas, a tip to CRIME STOPPERS solved a perplexing murder of a local attorney. In Atlantic County, New Jersey, the murder of a transient at a local motel was solved through a tip. A rapist was arrested through a tip to a Maryland program but was acquitted in court. Two weeks later, another call led to the rapist's re-arrest and subsequent conviction.

There is no final chapter to the CRIME STOPPERS story. Each phase of the program has been more successful than the last. Almost daily, the program is expanding to new communities throughout the country.

In 1980, San Marcos Police Department Detective Mario Reyes made a presentation to the department administration on how Crime Stoppers programs were working in other states. The administration studied the program, concluded it would work in San Marcos, and named him the Project Coordinator.

San Marcos Crime Stoppers, Inc. was chartered on June of 1981. The board met monthly to discuss police activities, fundraising ideas, reward payments, and how to generate publicity.

Initially, the San Marcos Daily Record provided a small section for "Crime of the Week" on the front page of each Sunday newspaper. Re-enactments were aired on local cable channels, with the enthusiastic help of Guy Trimble, president of Karnack Cable TV.

Greg MacAleese, the "Father" of Crimestoppers, was teaching a course at SWTSU and attended the celebration of the first year of the San Marcos Crime Stoppers program. The program was receiving 15-20 calls per week and was solving 2 or 3 cases per month. Once, $10 million in illegal drugs was seized from the Dripping Springs area – due to information provided in a tip.

When Crime Stoppers first got a toll-free number in 1991, the first caller gave information about a murder in Miami, Florida. He had called San Marcos by mistake. However, the information was forwarded to the Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers program, and three suspects were arrested.

Once, our toll free number was aired by the television show "Inside Edition", during a story about a possible serial killer in the Dallas area. Calls came in from all around the nation – and three of them had good information.

San Marcos Crime Stoppers has begun to operate as Hays County Crime Stoppers to make sure that the citizens of Hays County know that our organization serves all of Hays County and not just San Marcos.