A couple who called 911 to report a fugitive will get a reward. The couple spotted a kidnapping suspect in Dallas earlier this month, but Crime Stoppers had said they were not eligible for a reward because they called 911 instead of the organization.
Crime Stoppers and the North Texas Crime Commission say they will now use two donations to give the couple a total of $10,000.
"We had good people, anonymous people, step up. They weren't casting aspersions at DPS or Crime Stoppers. They just said, 'Hey, this is a situation to celebrate,'" says North Texas Crime Commission Chair David Dean. "It makes me feel fantastic."
"We didn't know anything about any money," says Kenyatta Jordan. "We were just trying to do something right and get a bad person off the streets."
Jordan says he and his wife are grateful for the reward, but he says they did not call because they expected to receive money.
"We really appreciate it. I'm not ashamed to say it was needed. We really appreciate it, but it was never about that," he says.
In addition to the $10,000 from Crime Stoppers, several businesses had started raising money for the couple. Wingfield's Breakfast and Burger provided $500, and the owner urged others to do the same..
"We wanted to bring a check forward to a family I consider a hero in our neighborhood," says Richard Wingfield. "We're right around the corner. You guys actually live in our neighborhood."
Dallas City Councilman Tennell Atkins says the story has a positive ending with a criminal in jail, but he says the case can also show the importance of members of the community getting to know each other and supporting each other.
"We need to get our residents and our communities engaged," he says. "If we're going to lower crime in our city, if you do not take care of your neighborhoods, who is going to take care of them?"
Dean says he hopes the attention brought by this case can help people learn more about Crime Stoppers. He says the organization allows callers to remain anonymous while 911 calls are a matter of public record.
He says using Crime Stoppers can also keep 911 operators free to respond to immediate emergencies.
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