Crimestoppers CEO makes more than NOPD chief, district attorney

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At a June 23 press conference, CEO Darlene Cusanza announced an increase in reward money being offered to tipsters. Through the summer months, Crimestoppers will offer up to $5,000 for information on homicides leading to an arrest and conviction.

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We decided to take an in-depth look at Crimestoppers' financials.

We discovered the organization has around $3 million in assets. We also found that one third of the money spent in 2015 was spent on salaries, with Cusanza earning a salary of $169,000 and a total compensation package of $213,497.

"It seems to me, and in particular in her case, to be compensation heavy,” said CPA Pat Lynch.

Lynch reviewed financial statements and an audit performed by an independent accounting firm. "One salary alone constituting 27 percent of revenues and 29 percent of their total expenses of $740,995, seems high," he said.

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Others, like Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans, are supported by a board of directors with a handful of paid employees carrying out the day-to-day work. We found that in Memphis, the director makes $78,000. In Detroit, $145,000 a year. In Kansas City, $113,602. And in Houston, the executive director makes $152,000 a year.

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