Callen

The “Crimestoppers” program of the City of Stockton offers members of the public the opportunity anonymously to provide information to the police about criminals and criminal activity. Defendant was arrested and charged with robbery after an investigation precipitated by an anonymous tip received by police on the Crimestoppers telephone hotline from an apparent percipient witness to the crime. The issue on appeal is whether police have a duty to determine and disclose to defendant the identity of such an informant.

Callers on the Crimestoppers telephone hotline are assigned a code number which guarantees anonymity and is the only means of identification unless the caller elects to identify himself. The majority of callers do not identify themselves. The calls are neither taped nor traced but are monitored contemporaneously by police officers. The program offers a reward to those who provide information but most callers decline to accept the offered reward. The amount and method of paying rewards rests with a board of directors composed of interested citizens.

As 84-year-old Lilija Zberbulis was walking on the sidewalk of Rosemarie Lane in Stockton, a car pulled up…