Last week, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody recognized 25 years of working with the Florida Association of Crime Stoppers to reward tipsters who provide information that leads to an arrest.
In Altamonte Springs, Moody, local sheriffs and representatives of FACS and Central Florida Crimeline celebrated the success of this crime-fighting partnership and encouraged Floridians to continue playing an active role in helping law enforcement solve cases.
“Crime Stoppers is a vital tool to solve difficult cases and increase safety in our communities. For 25 years, the Office of the Attorney General has worked with Crime Stoppers to encourage the public to help law enforcement bring criminals to justice. Now, we are working to make that process easier—modernizing anonymous reporting to encourage even more tipsters to come forward with pertinent information,” said Moody.
Osceola County Sheriff Marco Lopez said, “Criminals hate Crime Stoppers because it helps put them in jail. Crime Stoppers is a great tool for citizens to be protected from harm while helping law enforcement investigate crime. If anyone has information about a crime, please call and help victims get justice.”
Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma said, “We urge citizens who know information about cases and investigations to utilize Central Florida Crimeline and the Crime Stoppers programs across the state. They truly help policing professionals solve crimes and keep crime low in the communities that we serve. Big or small, tips to the Crimeline, which again may be eligible for rewards, help us bring closure to victims, and we are grateful for those who support their efforts.”
In 1997, the Florida Legislature set up the Crime Stoppers Trust Fund within OAG. The trust fund provides funding to FACS to give out cash rewards to tipsters whose information led to an arrest. Since 2010, FACS approved more than $12.6 million in rewards for tips that led to more than 42,000 arrests in Florida.
Moody and FACS first launched **TIPS, a statewide anonymous crime-reporting line, in October 2020. Before the tipline’s creation, Floridians needed to look up the specific region’s Crime Stoppers number to report a crime—there are 27 different offices each with separate phone numbers. Now, by simply dialing the six-key tipline on a cellphone, citizens are automatically rerouted to the nearest regional Crime Stoppers office.
In February 2022, Crime Stoppers USA adopted the phone number for nationwide use. Now, anyone in the United States can report crime anonymously with this easy-to-remember number and possibly collect a reward for tips that lead to an arrest.
In 2021, Moody and FACS announced a near-doubling of award money for anonymous tips in murder cases that lead to an arrest. The increase takes the maximum allowable award amount from $5,000 to $9,500 for tips provided to FACS.
In September, John Walsh joined Moody and FACS to release a video message for Floridians highlighting **TIPS and encouraging citizens to be proactive in keeping communities safe. Walsh is known internationally as a crime fighter, victims’ advocate and host of “America’s Most Wanted,” the reality program that helped law enforcement capture fugitives.
If there is an emergency, dial 911. To report tips anonymously about unsolved crimes, simply dial **TIPS.
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