 Crime Stoppers of Houston hosted its Annual “Raise ’Em Up for Texas” Gala bringing together more than 460 supporters and raising an impressive $2 million to support safety, prevention and crime-solving programs across Texas. Chaired by Brooke Lee, Dana Barton and Kristen Collins, and presented by Glenda and Russell Gordy and the C. James and Carole Walter Looke Family Fund, the evening celebrated the community’s continued commitment to protecting children and strengthening Houston.
Guests enjoyed a lively happy hour, silent auction and raffle before a program led by Johnny Bravo and Crime Stoppers CEO Rania Mankarious.
One of the evening’s most powerful moments came from Maurine Molak, co-founder of the David’s Legacy Foundation, who shared her son David’s story and highlighted the foundation’s partnership with Crime Stoppers through The John M. O’Quinn Foundation Million for Million campaign.
The program also included the presentation of the McIngvale Family Humanitarian Award to Chris Shepherd and Lindsey Brown of the Southern Smoke Foundation for their outstanding service to the Houston community.
The night continued with an energetic live auction and Paddles Up fundraiser, followed by an exciting announcement: Crime Stoppers will launch a new Women’s Collective and expand its reach to 10 million Texas students in 2026 through the upcoming SafeSpace Student Hub.
The celebration concluded with music, dancing and appreciation for the many partners, officials and community advocates who helped make the evening a success.
If your Crime Stoppers program has a milestone you would like to share, please reach out to the Texas Crime Stoppers staff.
Basic Crime Stoppers Course Hosted in Zapata
Texas Crime Stoppers hosted a successful Basic Crime Stoppers Course on December 8-9,2025, in Zapata, Texas. The course was made possible thanks to the generous support and hospitality of Zapata County Crime Stoppers, who served as the local host for the two-day training.
The training brought together program coordinators, board members, and community partners from across the state for 16 hours of engaging instruction. Attendees fulfilled the required training for program certification and received both TCOLE and CPE credit.
Course topics included best practices in tip management, board governance, campus-based Crime Stoppers programs, annual reporting, certification standards, marketing outreach, and fundraising strategies.
A big thank you to Zapata County Crime Stoppers for helping make this training a great success and for your continued dedication to strengthening the Crime Stoppers mission in Texas!
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2025 Texas 10 Most Wanted Program Captured Stats (as of 12/10/2025)
- Total Captures: 64
- Top 10 Fugitives Arrested: 26
- Top 10 Sex Offenders Arrested: 25
- Top10 Criminal Illegal Immigrants Arrested: 13
- Total Gang Members Arrested: 3
- Total Sex Offenders Arrested: 27
- Rewards Paid: $41,000
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Amarillo Crime Stoppers has an exciting and engaging conference planned for us this year!
Mark your calendars for the 30th Annual Campus Crime Stoppers Conference, taking place February 23–25, 2026, in Amarillo, Texas.
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Texas’ Best Awards
Nominations are now open for the 2024–2025 Texas’ Best Awards, which will be presented during the 30th Annual Texas Crime Stoppers Campus Conference on February 24, 2026, in Amarillo, Texas.
Certified Texas Crime Stoppers Campus programs in good standing are encouraged to submit entries recognizing outstanding achievements and impact in solving and preventing crime on Texas campuses. Eligible efforts must have occurred between January 1 and December 31, 2025.
Deadline: All entries must be received by Friday, January 2, 2026 (COB).
30th Annual Texas Crime Stoppers Campus Conference
Amarillo, Texas
February 23-25, 2026
Texas Crime Stoppers Basic Course Training
Galveston, Texas
April 2026
Texas Crime Stoppers Basic Course Training
Rockwall, Texas
June 2026
Texas Crime Stoppers Basic Course Training
Grand Prairie, Texas
August 2026
It’s that time of the year again to submit your programs annual reports. To access your reports, select the hyperlinks listed below using the previously created username and password sent to your organization. All reports are due January 31, 2026.
Please share this information with your board, executive directors, and law enforcement coordinators to give them ample time to gather the data to complete the reports in a timely manner. For questions, contact Miguel Herrera at (512) 463-8368 or [email protected].
The Request for Application (RFA) is posted online and is ready for you to review and start applying for the Crime Stoppers Assistance Fund.
The deadline is February 12, 2026, at 5:00pm CST.
December is a month of celebration, reflection, and safety awareness. Use these observances to share resources, promote safety, and engage your community.
• Human Rights Week (second week of December)
• December 25: Christmas
• December 31: New Year’s Eve
🎄 Holiday Safety Tips
Help keep families safe this holiday season:
• Home Safety: Lock doors, secure windows, and keep gifts out of sight.
• Fire Safety: Never leave candles or lights unattended.
• Cooking Safety: Stay in the kitchen and keep flammable items away.
• Travel Safety: Buckle up, avoid distractions, and plan ahead.
• Online Safety: Shop securely and protect personal information.
• Community Safety: Report suspicious activity to law enforcement or your local Crime Stoppers program.
The Texas Crime Stoppers Ambassador Program is a student-based leadership program for youth involved in their local Crime Stoppers community.
Each ambassador is assigned a month to submit an article in the Texas Crime Stoppers newsletter. The topics may include, campus program success stories, an interview with their Student Resource Officer or a board member, community engagement, editorials on leadership, mentoring, or student motivation.
Apply to be a Texas Crime Stoppers Student Ambassador!
Applications are now open for the Texas Crime Stoppers Student Ambassador program. To apply, please submit your application to Miguel Herrera at [email protected] by Friday, January 16, 2026.
Bluebonnet Area Crime Stoppers, 27 years
Erath County Crime Stoppers, Inc., 39 years
Galveston County Crime Stoppers, 44 years
Northeast Texas Area Crime Stoppers, 34 years
Perryton-Ochiltree County Crime Stoppers, 37 years
Pharr Crime Stoppers, Inc., 35 years
Plainview Hale County Crime Stoppers, 46 years
Victoria County Crime Stoppers, Inc., 42 years
Wichita Falls Crime Stoppers, Inc., 45 years
Congratulations on all your years of service! Thank you for the continued investment within your community which has paved the way for a safer, stronger future for Texas.
(From left to right: Erin Cole, Lead Program Coordinator; Miguel Herrera, Program Coordinator; Lyndsay Ysla, Director)
The Texas Crime Stoppers team sends warm wishes for a joyful holiday season and a successful New Year!
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