‘We don’t want to know their name’: How do Omaha Crime Stoppers tipsters stay anonymous?

For many of us, 402-444-STOP (7867) is one of the few phone numbers we actually have memorized. It’s the tip line to Omaha Crime Stoppers. In 2025, those tips led to 46 arrests, including two solved homicides, four illegal firearms removed from the streets, and 19 wanted felons arrested. “It’s provided a brand and venue for us to get our message out to arrest violent criminals, and because of that, Omaha is safer,” said police chief Todd Schmaderer. Tips resulted in $81,650 in payouts, and that doesn’t include the money not collected (which, yes, happens frequently).But Omaha Crime Stoppers isn’t actually run by the police department. It’s run by the Omaha Crime Stoppers Board, a group of volunteer citizens. “A lot of people might have information that they want to share, but they’re hesitant or uncomfortable,” said Bob Lausten, president of the Crime Stoppers board. “Our platform breaks down that barrier.”Lausten runs a creative agency. Like many on the board, he has never been a sworn law enforcement officer, though he comes from a law enforcement background. Others on the board are retired law enforcement. “It’s important to separate those entities so they know we’re not the police,” Lausten said. “We’re just trying to collect information to make Omaha safer.”The board’s duties include fundraising for reward money (no, the money doesn’t come from the police budget), honoring heroic officers, and voting on payouts for tipsters. “Omaha Crime Stoppers gives more reward money for our top enhanced tips than anywhere in the country,” said officer Sarah Martier, the police department liaison to the board. Rewards range from $25,000 for solved homicides and $20,000 for bank robbery arrests, to $1,000 for illegal firearm recoveries and $50 for some misdemeanor arrests. KETV partners with Omaha Crime Stoppers, airing our Most Wanted segments on Mondays at 10 p.m. and our Crime of the Week segments on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. Every week, you’ll hear a similar sentiment, “If you can help police, call 402-444-STOP. Remember, nobody — not even police — will ever know your name.” How is that level of anonymity possible? Omaha police walked us through the process of submitting a tip. The Crime Stoppers phone number leads to a third-party call center. The person on the other line will ask several questions about the crime or suspect in question, then give you a unique Tip ID number and password. They will not ask for your name. Tipsters can then check online or via the call center, using the Tip ID number and password, to see if an arrest has been made and if their tip qualified for a reward.”And it’s only through that Tip ID number and password that they can collect reward money through a designated bank,” Martier said. Martier said anonymity is the most important part of the process. “We don’t want to know their name,” she said. “We want it to stay anonymous because ultimately that’s how we can make Crime Stoppers work.” Since 1986, Omaha Crime Stoppers has received more than 4,500 tips that led to arrests, recovered 230-plus firearms, and handed out more than $2.4 million.And if it’s a fear of testifying that keeps you from submitting tips, fear not. Since police don’t know a person’s name, tipsters will never be compelled to testify in court. If you can ever help police solve a crime, whether you saw it on a KETV Crime Stoppers segment or somewhere else, contact Crime Stoppers at 402-444-STOP or online here. You can also use the P3 tips app.Remember, tips are always anonymous.