CINCINNATI -- Someone shot and killed 17-year-old Kelsie Crow while she was leaving a sweet 16 birthday part at the Melrose YMCA on April 14, 2015.
Many witnesses refused to talk. One even refused to show up to court when called to testify. That's why Cincinnati police created the CCROW program -- Cincinnati Citizens Respect Our Witnesses -- and named it after Crow.
"People are just afraid to come forward," said Karen Rumsey, the program's director. "People are just afraid to talk."
The program is similar to the FBI's famous witness protection program. Police won't change witness' identities like the feds, but they will relocate them to a safe place.
Since CCROW began, the program has relocated 69 witnesses and helped close 51 cases. In some cases, CCROW has provided witnesses with panic alarms, emergency hotel housing or phone bill assistance.
Rumsey has been hitting the streets, spreading her message.
"This 'no snitch' mentality belongs to criminals," she said. "It does not belong to law-abiding citizens."
The program has gained national attention. Officials from the New York City Police Department are visiting soon to learn about it.
Volunteers are an important part of the program, especially apartment owners who could house witnesses. They're always looking for more volunteers. Anyone interested can find more information here on the city's website.
Slowly but surely, Rumsey is working to help get cases closed.
"When an unsolved mystery is solved, that's the best feeling I can ever feel," she said. "That's the icing on my cake."
Rumsey is still hoping to get Kelsie Crow's case closed, too. When authorities put a man on trial for her death last year, the jury found him not guilty.
It's part of what drives Rumsey to keep going.
"These people have families," she said. "These people have names. They're not just statistics. Their life has meaning and value."
