‘Miss CrimeStoppers’
moving up

The popular police detective
helped solve some 3,100 cases

For seven years, Honolulu CrimeStoppers Detective Letha DeCaires has been "that police lady."

With countless television and newspaper interviews during that time, DeCaires said it's hard to go unrecognized around town, even when residents can't remember her name.

"They'll say, 'Oh, you're that police lady,'" DeCaires said. "Sometimes it's just THAT lady."

Well, the lady who loves catching the bad guys is stepping out of the limelight.

Today DeCaires is scheduled to accept a promotion to lieutenant and a transfer to police dispatch during a morning ceremony at the Honolulu Police Department's Beretania Street headquarters.

Since taking over the program in 1998, DeCaires and her 35 volunteers at CrimeStoppers have helped solve 3,138 cases, made 1,533 arrests, and recovered more than $1.7 million in stolen or missing property. CrimeStoppers has also paid out more than $1.1 million in rewards for information leading to arrests of suspects.

And the hardworking lady from Duluth, Minn., as she's called by some associates, has a lot to do with that success.

"I've known Letha for a long time, and she's always been a hard worker and shown a lot of initiative," Chief Boisse Correa said. "She puts her heart into everything she does, and the CrimeStoppers program is no exception. We know she'll be great in her next assignment as a new lieutenant."

City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle described DeCaires as a "bright, capable and articulate person. She deserves that promotion, and I wish her the very best with her future endeavors," he said.

The people who worked closely with her said they would miss her tireless efforts to get the word out to the public about criminals in their midst.

"She's helped our unit tremendously," said missing persons investigator Phil Camero. "There were several cases that, as a result of CrimeStoppers tips, were solved or resolved."

"It's because of her hard work and efforts that has made our CrimeStoppers program one of the best in the nation," Camero said.

Outside police headquarters, DeCaires made many friends.

"We've worked so often with her to put out alerts to the hotels through CrimeStoppers, and she's so easy to work with," said Tina Garcia, executive assistant for the Hawaii Hotels and Lodging Association. "She's Miss CrimeStoppers."

"I'm really sad that she's leaving, but we wish her well ... she's the best, literally," Garcia said.

Michael Parker, who runs the security alerts for the Hawaii Jewelers Association, said DeCaires and the CrimeStoppers program made it easy for businesses to get alerts about potential burglars and thieves.

"She was able ... to give us information that was very, very helpful that we could pass on to our membership," he said.

DeCaires said she'll miss her volunteers, working with law enforcement agencies and media outlets. But she'll enjoy a more private life.

There were many times when being recognized was uncomfortable. In one of her more bizarre cases, a fugitive wanted to turn himself in to DeCaires alone after reading what she had said about him in the newspaper.

Ernest Holmes had been convicted of raping three women in 15 hours in March 2000. DeCaires said Homes called her and wanted to meet in front of the police station to turn himself in.

"When I did the press release, I said based on my experience this person who did this wanted to be caught and was crying for help," DeCaires recalled. "He called CrimeStoppers the next morning and turned himself in.

"For whatever reason, he trusted me."