CLEVELAND — It’s a type of call dispatch centers across the state get all too often, many of them targeting schools, and soon these callers could face a felony charge.
They’re known as ‘swatting calls,’ which are calls where a person deliberately reports false information to law enforcement.
Recently, schools across Ohio have received these types of calls in the form of idle threats.
These calls will soon become a felony under a new Ohio law which goes into effect on April 3.
It’s a change Sheriff Paul Sigsworth of the Erie County Sheriff’s Department said he’s pleased to see, saying these calls put immense strain on the resources of first responders.
“You know, if we have a call that somebody’s been shot, then we have paramedic resources, fire resources, a lot of different entities and agencies responding,” said Sigsworth.
Under the new Ohio law, those who make a ‘swatting call’ could be charged with a fourth-degree felony, which means a sentence of least 6 months in prison, along with being made responsible for how much it costs for police to respond to the call. If a person is physically hurt during the response, the penalty could be much worse.
“I’m glad that this bill has been passed so that there is a serious penalty that applies to individuals who engage in this type of conduct,” said Sigsworth. “One call is one too many.”
