Emerald Billiards on Old Spanish Trail may have been the safest place in New Iberia Saturday.

The pool hall was the site of the second annual Iberia Crime Stoppers Scotch Doubles Eight-Ball Tournament, which drew many members of the law enforcement community and supporters of Crime Stoppers’ efforts.

“All of the money we raise goes to pay off information from our TIPS line and to pay expenses,” said Mike Barras, a member of the Crime Stoppers board. “We pay up to $1,000 for a tip, and we also pay for officer expenses for our representatives with each agency.”

The tournament kicked off at noon, but the work started much earlier. In addition to the entry fees from the tournament, the organization sold jambalaya plate lunches and held a silent auction to help raise funds.

“We presented our chef, John Romero, with a plaque this morning at 10 a.m. for his work,” Barras said. Barras also said the owner of Emerald Billiards, Keith Hulin, had donated the room and space for the event both years, as well as cash contributions to the cause.

According to Barras, the organization raised $4,700 last year for its first pool tournament and drive-through lunch fundraiser.

“The response has been good,” Barras said. “We won’t know how we did this year till Monday or so.”

Crime Stoppers, began in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1976. Since then, Crime Stoppers programs have proliferated to reach around the world. Iberia Parish began its collaboration with the Crime Stoppers organization in May, 2017.

Crime Stoppers is a collaboration between the organization, local law enforcement and local media to publicize unsolved crimes and reward people providing valid tips with cash.

If you have a tip for Iberia Crime Stoppers, you can call 337-364-8477 or use the Iberia Parish Crime Stoppers’ P-3 app on your smartphone.