As of today, the Alachua County Sheriff's Office will pay $1,000 to citizens who provide information regarding any crime in Alachua County when a gun is used.
ASO spokesman Steve Maynard said that considering some cases rack up a $50,000 budget before they are solved, the Gun Bounty Program will hopefully be more cost effective and take less time.
"It will be completely anonymous," Maynard said. "We never have to see or talk to the callers face to face."
To ensure anonymity, the caller will receive a PIN and the location of a local bank where he or she can collect the reward money.
"A thousand dollars is a small expenditure to receive intelligence that will help us catch a robber or murderer," Maynard said.
The idea for the program came from Deputy Kathy Zedalis who saw a rise in violent crime and began researching how to stop it from climbing.
Those with information about guns that would interest Crime Stoppers should contact 352-372-7867.
