JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — First Coast Crime Stoppers has a new leader who wants to make it easier for tipsters to reach them.
Chase Robinson, the executive director, is Wyllie Hodges' successor.
Hodges died in 2023.
Robinson told First Coast News Hodges took him under his wing for a year and acknowledged how he has "big shoes to fill."
To Robinson, making Crime Stoppers more accessible to the public means more options to submit a tip whenever a crime occurs.
"As a nonprofit 501-3c, it is our job to be a spokesperson for the residents in Jacksonville and the First Coast," Robinson said. "They [residents] can be our eyes and ears on the streets and to make our community safer again."
In a span of a year, July 2023 to June 2024, Crime Stoppers received 2,800 tips, the most in two years. The local nonprofit also paid more than $40,000 in reward money.
Robinson said he wants to break the barriers that prevent people from submitting a tip.
"I would like First Coast Crime Stoppers to be a beacon of light for crime stoppers organizations," Robinson said. "Not only here in the First Coast, but in the state of Florida. I really wanna break down socioeconomic barriers that may prevent certain individuals from reaching out to First Coast Crime Stoppers."
As of April 18, 2024, local statistics show 4,382 arrests were made and more than 8,600 cases were cleared, according to First Coast Crime Stoppers.
A tip can always be made to First Coast Crime Stoppers by calling the toll-free number: 1-866-845-TIPS.