Jackson Jambalaya

 State Auditor Shad White issued the following statement. 

Today State Auditor Shad White released a report showing the DeSoto County Crime Stoppers spent nearly $400,000 over the last 10 years while not being able to provide evidence that it ever gave a tip on a crime to law enforcement or gave a reward to anyone who reported a crime to law enforcement.

“Preventing spillover crime from the notoriously dangerous city of Memphis is a top priority for Mississippians in DeSoto County, but my fear after reviewing this audit is that there is no proof that Crime Stoppers helps in that mission,” said Auditor White. “At minimum, DeSoto Crime Stoppers needs to keep some kind of records showing they are an effective organization.”

DeSoto County Crime Stoppers is a nonprofit that exists to reduce crime in DeSoto County by providing a service where citizens can submit anonymous tips of potential criminal activity. Since 2015, DeSoto County Crime Stoppers has received over $400,000 from local government through fees on misdemeanors like speeding tickets. Analysts at the Office of the State Auditor noted:

• DeSoto County Crime Stoppers paid extra fees to keep one of their two tip hotlines unpublished on the internet.
• DeSoto County Crime Stoppers could not produce any records showing it collected or gave tips to law enforcement over a ten-year period. They provided no records showing a reward paid to an informant in the last decade. 
• Records show over $240,000—60% of total spending—went to employee salaries. Further records show the organization paid only one employee for years.
• In 2023 and 2024, DeSoto County Crime Stoppers purchased 3,000 calendars and paid over $600 to ship them 13 miles from a company in Hernando to their address in Horn Lake.

This report is one of a series from the Office of the State Auditor showing how nonprofits spend and often waste taxpayer money.

“My office will continue auditing every penny of taxpayer money in Mississippi to shine a light on places where government must improve,” said White.

Mississippians can report any instances of fraud, waste, or abuse of taxpayer funds spent by nonprofits by emailingnonprofitwaste@osa.ms.gov or calling 1-800-321-1275.