SC unveils Spanish-speaking CrimeStoppers tip line

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — People who speak Spanish in South Carolina now have a toll-free number they can call to report crimes and give tips to police.

CrimeStoppers officials on Friday gathered in Columbia to unveil a new Spanish-language tip line during a celebration of the program’s 29th year. CrimeStoppers lets people call, text or email anonymous tips that help police catch suspects.

Organizers say they created the new Spanish-language hotline because of the state’s growing Latino population. New U.S. Census data show that more than 235,000 people identified themselves as Hispanic in South Carolina in 2010, a 148 percent increase in the past decade.

Officials say the CrimeStoppers program has used information from over 100,000 tips to take 21,000 criminals off of South Carolina’s streets.