User:Ram4656/Crime Report

Crime Report, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in Seattle, Washington in 1992 by Bruce Dunlap. Crime Report's mission was to be an organization committed to making Western Washington communities safer. Crime Report attempted to bridge the gap between law enforcement and citizens by publishing a Most Wanted Bulletin utilizing information from federal, state, county and city law enforcement agencies. By making the information available to the public, citizens could assist law enforcement in locating wanted felons and finding missing children and adults.

Crime Report's quarterly Most Wanted Bulletin included pictures of felony fugitives, missing children and adults, pictures of bank robbers captured by security camera and profiles of level 2 and level 3 sex offenders recently released into the community. Crime prevention articles and information was also included in the publication which was distributed by volunteers in their neighborhoods throughout Western Washington.

The idea for Crime Report's Most Wanted Bulletin was conceived by Bruce Dunlap when he became aware that law enforcement needed help from local citizens to identify fugitives so they could be apprehended. Other than the occasional television spot or on clipboards at the post office, there was no place citizens could even learn who was wanted by the police. Bruce approached his friend Valerie Vavrik and asked for her help. Vavrik agreed to help if they could include information about missing children and adults. Bruce and Valerie began as co-editors of the publication, interviewing people in law enforcement and writing most of the articles. Dunlap handled corporate paperwork and fundraising while Vavrik performed the layout and design, working closely with many different law enforcement agencies on the city, county, state and federal levels. Neither Bruce nor Valerie received a salary and worked full time jobs while running the all volunteer organization on evenings and weekends. In fact, the printing of the first issues of Crime Report: Most Wanted Bulletin was funded by Bruce Dunlap out of his personal savings.

Crime Report volunteers distributed the 50,000 issues published each quarter all over Western Washington at convenience stores, groceries, check cashing outlets, senior centers, libraries, government offices and other high traffic locations. Volunteers also participated in local community events such as festivals, street fairs, National Night Out Against Crime, block watch celebrations and crime fairs, providing crime prevention information and fingerprinting children. Crime Report volunteers often spoke to community groups such as local Chamber of Commerces, Rotary clubs, Soroptomists, etc. about crime prevention and how citizens can make a difference in the fight against crime.

To help pay for the 50,000 bulletins printed each quarter, volunteers put on an annual fundraising auction with items donated by supporters from the community. PEMCO and the Washington chapter of the American Bankers Association were also major donors. Law enforcement and local government officials were very supportive, donating police ride-alongs, lunch with the mayor, golf with a politician, etc. to the dinner/auction as well as sponsoring a table and attending.

In February 1993, the founders of Crime Report, Bruce Dunlap and Valerie Vavrik were presented with the Jaycee's Outstanding Young Citizen Award for their outstanding contributions to our community. That same year, Dunlap received Boeing's "William M. Allen Community Service Commendation Award" for outstanding community service as a volunteer. In February 1994, Brook Stanford from KOMO-TV, presented Bruce and Valerie with the KOMO Hometown Heroes award. They were later honored with other hometown heroes at a luncheon hosted by Peter Jennings, sponsored by KOMO-TV and the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce. In May 1995, Bruce and Valerie were honored as "Angels in America" at the Intiman Theatre in Seattle.

Bruce Dunlap was chosen by the Boeing Employees Credit Union as the "Volunteer of the Year" for 1996. That same year Valerie received a "True Grit Award" for "Distinguished Volunteer Service in the Community" from Grit Magazine. Vavrik was also featured in a display honoring "Puget Sound's Great American Daughters" at the Seattle Repertory Theatre during the month of May, 1997.

In March 1998, Valerie Vavrik was presented with the Soroptimists International of Seattle-South award entitled, "Women Helping Women." This award for outstanding service and dedication to helping the community was presented in recognition of Valerie's work with Crime Report in helping area law enforcers find and arrest known felons, find missing children and making our communities a safer place to live. In 1999 Vavrik was nominated for a  Jefferson Award (sponsored by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer) for public service.

In 2001 Crime Report was disbanded after Dunlap and Vavrik felt it had outlived its usefulness due to information becoming available to citizens via the Internet. Crime Report inspired communities in other states to start similar publications and programs; volunteers assisted some others in getting started. The Crime Report: Most Wanted Bulletin was credited with the arrest of over 450 fugitives and assisted in finding over 65 missing children.