The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) and Alachua County Crime Stoppers teamed up for a family fun day and 3D archery shoot on Saturday.
About 100 people came out for the festivities, which took place at Easton Sports Complex from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Those who came for the archery paid $20 to shoot at targets that were set up in the woods in the back of the complex and in the facility’s indoor shooting range. Family games, a bounce house and free food were also provided.
ACSO Deputy Zac Zedalis said that $1,700 was raised for Crime Stoppers from entry fees and business sponsorships.
The budget for Alachua County Crime Stoppers was lowered to $14,000 this year, a figure that is 30 percent less than the budget for 2009, according to Crime Stoppers President David Ayers.
“We are trying desperately to find ways to raise money,” Ayers said.
Zedalis said ACSO depends on tips from Crime Stoppers for help because “law enforcement can’t be everywhere at once.”
Zedalis said the rewards from Crime Stoppers give people who may need money to pay bills or buy groceries an added incentive to report crimes.
“I wish people would call in out of the goodness of their hearts, but a little cash doesn’t hurt now and then,” he said.
Crime Stoppers is an organization that pays monetary rewards for anonymous tips that result in the arrest of a criminal. It is run by a volunteer board and receives funding from the state of Florida by way of fines that criminals are ordered to pay by the court system.
The money that Crime Stoppers rewards for a given crime depends on a number of factors, including the severity of the crime that was solved, the criminal’s past record and how much money Crime Stoppers has available to give.
According its Web site, Crime Stoppers has assisted in the arrests of more than 481 felons, cleared 622 cases, recovered property valued at more than $500,000 and seized drugs worth an estimated street value of more than $750,000.
Zedalis said that although the turnout for Saturday’s event was not what he had hoped for, the sheriff’s office is planning to do more fundraisers for Crime Stoppers in the future.
Another archery shoot and a softball tournament at Diamond Sports Park in Gainesville are being planned for sometime in the spring after football season is over.
Anyone who is interested in reporting a tip, getting more information or making a donation can call Crime Stoppers at 352-372-stop.
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