JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — First Coast Crime Stoppers has become the most-visited Crime Stoppers website in Florida and currently ranks second in the world, according to Executive Director Chase Robinson.

Robinson joined Kristine Bellino’s “In Depth” to discuss the milestone, the organization’s emphasis on anonymity and why residents should never underestimate the value of reporting suspicious activity.

Houston Crime Stoppers currently holds the top global spot, but Robinson said Jacksonville’s nonprofit is gaining ground.

“Through a lot of hard work, through our team of board of directors, our website and our reach has really developed to where we are the most visited Crime Stoppers website in the state at the moment and right now, number two in the world,” Robinson said.

He credits much of that growth to the organization’s increased focus on digital outreach and changing how information is delivered to the public.

“The next phase of not just Crime Stoppers, but really society as a whole is embracing the digital aspect of life,” Robinson said. “People are changing the way that they consume information.”

Robinson said First Coast Crime Stoppers has worked to improve its social media presence and search engine visibility, helping more people access information about unsolved crimes across the six-county Jacksonville area.

The organization receives approximately 3,000 tips every year and works with more than 20 law enforcement agencies throughout Northeast Florida.

Following in his grandfather’s footsteps

For Robinson, leading the organization is also deeply personal.

His grandfather served as First Coast Crime Stoppers’ first tips coordinator, and Robinson said he remembers pretending to process tips when he was a child.

“It’s interesting to see it come full circle there and really just carry on the legacy that he helped build,” Robinson said.

He started working for the organization part-time before becoming office manager and eventually executive director.

“I’m born and raised in Jacksonville. This is my home,” Robinson said. “To be able to work in a grassroots nonprofit organization, to see the results happen directly in the neighborhoods and streets that I drive every single day, that’s really rewarding.”

Not funded by taxpayer dollars

Robinson also addressed a common misconception about Crime Stoppers.

He said the nonprofit is independent and not funded through taxpayer dollars.

Instead, Florida’s Crime Stoppers Trust Fund is supported by court fines paid by convicted offenders.

“We are all registered nonprofit organizations,” Robinson said. “That means in terms of funding, we’re not funded by taxpayer dollars. They are convicted criminals paying court fines to potentially arrest future criminals.”

The organization’s independence, he said, helps encourage people who may be reluctant to speak directly with law enforcement.

‘Our tipsters are anonymous, not confidential’

Protecting tipsters remains the organization’s highest priority, Robinson said.

“Our tipsters are anonymous, not confidential,” he explained.

He said the distinction is important because Crime Stoppers does not maintain databases containing names, addresses or identifying information.

“We simply don’t have that information,” Robinson said.

According to Robinson, the technology used by Crime Stoppers removes identifying details, making it impossible for law enforcement or anyone else to discover who submitted a tip.

The organization even reviews submissions to prevent tipsters from accidentally revealing their identities.

“If a neighbor is talking about something in the area or they’re talking about something that their cousin did, they are indirectly identifying themselves,” Robinson said.

Staff members review the roughly 3,000 annual tips for clues that could expose a tipster and modify wording before forwarding information to investigators.

“In essence, anonymity is priority number one for us,” he said.

Why every tip matters

Robinson encouraged residents not to dismiss information simply because a crime occurred months or even years earlier.

“It could be the one piece of information that a detective has been waiting weeks, months, years for,” he said.

First Coast Crime Stoppers has partnered with Jacksonville nonprofit Project Cold Case to host digital cold case press conferences featuring victims’ family members.

Robinson said hearing directly from families often generates new tips and helps remind people that unresolved cases continue affecting loved ones decades later.

He also said tips related to suspicious activity can help investigators identify victims of human trafficking and locate missing persons.

“You can make a difference,” Robinson said.

Emergencies still belong with 911

Robinson stressed that anyone witnessing an active emergency should call 911 first.

If additional information becomes available afterward, people can then contact Crime Stoppers anonymously.

He said the organization sometimes helps relay urgent information involving threats to schools, but 911 dispatchers remain the first line of response.

“We really want that to be the 911 dispatchers because that’s ultimately what’s going to lead to the most effective and efficient way to prevent loss of life,” Robinson said.

Tips can be submitted by calling 1-866-845-TIPS, dialing Star Star TIPS on a mobile phone, visiting FCCrimeStoppers.com or using the P3 Tips app.

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