Dallas mayor pro tem calls for changes to Crime Stoppers reward after recent debacle

DALLAS - A Dallas City Council member says changes need to be made to the Crime Stoppers reward system if they want to continue to foster a relationship between police and the community.

Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins says changes need to be made to prevent the Crime Stoppers debacle that is putting a cloud over the organization. 

FOX 4 4 first told you about the Jordans earlier this week. They spotted a wanted child predator and called 911 for police to arrest him. But Crime Stoppers said they were not eligible for the reward offered in the case. 

Atkins says Kenyatta and Briana Jordan's actions are the very embodiment of what Crime Stoppers should be about.

"I want to thank Channel 4, FOX 4 for putting this out there and taking time to do due diligence," he said. "Community policing. This is community policing."

The Jordans recognized accused child abductor Leonard Neal at a bus stop as they called 911, watched him board a bus and even followed the bus until police caught up to it. 

Neal is charged with aggravated kidnapping of a 9 and 7-year-old and aggravated sexual assault of a child. 

"I was happy to know I did something good, something right. I can help a lot of people sleep at night," Kenyatta said in a previous interview.

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Dallas couple who called 911 to report kidnapping suspect not eligible for reward, Crime Stoppers says

After calling 911 and helping police catch the wanted fugitive, the couple later learned about the Crime Stoppers reward. But when they asked about it, they were told they were not eligible because they called 911 instead of the Crime Stoppers number.

The Dallas Police Department posted on its website, "Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for information called into Crime Stoppers that leads to the arrest and indictment." The post goes on to say anyone with information to call 911. 

But when the Jordans followed up with Crime Stoppers, they were told they were not eligible for the reward because they had called 911 instead of the anonymous tip line. 

Crime Stoppers Board Chairman David Dean told FOX 4 on Wednesday that he doesn’t think an exception can be made in this case.

"I have no idea if others were calling at the same time. What would your recommendation be in that case?" he said. "I really value people, and we encourage people all the time to call police. As far as eligibility for these funds, we have to follow those rules and procedures." 

Atkins plans to organize a meeting to determine how to adjust those rules for circumstances like this one to restore the public's trust in a system critical to fighting crime. 

"He put his life in danger to make sure this person was off the street," Atkins said.

Dean said he could not provide FOX 4 with a written copy of the rules and procedures for North Texas Crime Stoppers.