Orange County

Florida crime reporting tip line going nationwide: Here’s how it works

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A program designed to help fight crime in Florida is now being launched nationwide.

A year and a half ago, the Crimeline and Crime Stoppers programs across Florida adopted a way for people to report crimes anonymously by dialing **TIPS (8477) from their mobile phones.

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Central Florida sheriffs and police chiefs credit these anonymous tips for helping solve crimes and making our community safer. Just last week, officials said one of those tips led to the arrest of a man suspected in road rage shootings across east Orange County.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said the success of the program in Florida has now led to this being adopted nationwide.

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“Take the simple step, now, the very simple step of calling **TIPS and getting over that information, you can help us build a stronger, safer Florida. And indeed now, thanks to Crime Stoppers USA, a stronger, safer America,” Moody said.

The local phone numbers for Crimeline and Crime Stoppers will still work; the tip text line is just one more option that local law enforcement agencies say they will encourage going forward.

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Jeff Deal

Jeff Deal, WFTV.com

I joined the Eyewitness News team as a reporter in 2006.

Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.