You’ll be seeing a lot of the Warren County Crime Stoppers this year.

The organization wants to be more proactive this year helping law enforcement try to solve cold cases in Warren County and to publicly distribute cash rewards for tips that lead to arrests or cold case closures. You’ll also see the Crime Stoppers at community events such as the Downtown Warren Ribfest and the Warren County Fair, selling tickets for the Steer Dump fundraiser with a goal of 1,000 tickets sold. Those fundraisers help pay for the Crime Stoppers’ rewards along with contributions from local organizations.

The Warren County Crime Stoppers has been active except for a brief time during the COVID-19 pandemic despite being relatively quiet publicly. The county Crime Stoppers is going to be a lot more public this year. We hope part of that public face involves a lot of checks given to those who provide tips that close local cases.

In Wednesday’s edition of the Times Observer, the Crime Stoppers is asking the public for any help in the case of Damian Sharp, who was 22 years old at the time, was last seen in the city of Warren on May 25, 2002. His disappearance was officially reported to the City of Warren Police Department on June 6, 2002.

Investigators say the case initially began as a missing persons investigation but later developed into a homicide/missing person case after suspicious circumstances emerged during the investigation. Despite periodic tips received over the years, police say none have led to a confirmed location for Sharp or a resolution to the case. Since 2007, the Warren Police Department has worked with both civilian volunteers and other law enforcement agencies in continuing the investigation.

It’s a worthy first installment in what is expected to be a weekly spotlight on crimes the Warren County Crime Stoppers are looking to help close – but they need your help to do so.