Bradenton state senator wants ‘swatting’ to carry a bigger price for law breakers

The practice of reporting false crimes on someone for a malicious reason is not new, but it has become increasingly dangerous,. At times, an innocent person has died.

“Swatting” became a term associated with this practice about a decade ago when online gamers would report a fake crime on a gaming rival and watch the ensuing chaos live online as heavily armed police units responded to the false threat.

According to the Florida Police Chief’s Association, it is a growing problem across the state, growing from about 400 incidents in 2000 to more than a 1,000 in 2019.

As of now, the act of swatting is only a misdemeanor in Florida, but state Sen. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, wants to make the consequences of swatting, as well as severe cases of reporting false crimes in general, a felony.

With the full support of the FPCA, Boyd has filed proposed legislation that would enhance the consequences for filing false police reports. An act of swatting would become a third-degree felony under his legislation, but if anyone is harmed during the police response, it would become a second-degree felony.

If anyone is killed, it would become a first-degree felony.

“I believe we can end this practice and avoid subjecting innocent people and law enforcement officers to unnecessary harm,” Boyd said.

Local law enforcement agencies told the Bradenton Herald that the legislation caught them by surprise and while such practices have not been in an issue in Manatee County, Sheriff Rick Wells said he fully supports Boyd’s bill.

Palmetto Police Chief Scott Tyler also said swatting hasn’t been an issue, but he supports Boyd’s efforts.

The Bradenton Police Department had an unfortunate experience of this dangerous hoax in 2014. A local man was live streaming while playing an online game and a rival, pretending to be the man’s daughter called 911 telling police he had killed his wife and was armed with an assault rifle.

Thinking it as an active shooter situation, 15 heavily armed Bradenton police officers forced entry, terrifying the victim, his family and his actual daughter.

As the District 1 Director of the FPCA, Chief Melanie Bevan said, “Bradenton PD has seen firsthand the adverse effects a swatting hoax can have on a family. We applaud the efforts of Sen. Boyd and fully support the legislation presented.”

Boyd said the FPCA made him aware of the issue.

“It’s a good thing it hasn’t been a problem in Manatee County. There have been about six or seven incidents recently in the Tampa Bay region and it’s a problem across the state.,” Boyd said. “Law enforcement officers have been injured, people have been injured and these pranks take up valuable resources.”

Swatting became a commonly used term because most of the incidents of false reporting were severe enough for heavily armed SWAT teams to respond. These units are specially trained to intercede in a potentially dangerous situations with tactics designed to create chaos and give law enforcement the advantage.

“People can get hurt,” Boyd said. “Who knows what can happen in a situation like that. There are a lot of implications and if there are stricter consequences in place, hopefully it will sway folks from doing this.”

Satellite Beach Police Chief Jeff Pearson, president of the FPCA, approached Boyd to launch the legislation to, “combat this emerging public safety issue. The practice of swatting has become more frequent, and its effects more expensive and destructive, both for the public and the law enforcement officers unwittingly put into those dangerous situations.”

There can be a fine line between reporting a crime that would require a heavily armed response to reporting false allegations that don’t require a similar response. The legislation refers to “swatting” specifically, but Boyd said the law would apply to any false reporting that puts other lives in danger.

Beyond the very real potential of lives lost and property destroyed is the waste of taxpayer dollars and the problem of diverting valuable resources provided by first responders to a fake call.

“When you roll out a SWAT team, first responders, fire trucks and ambulances there is a financial cost,” Boyd said. “Then there is the safety of it. Even racing to the scene can be dangerous for first responders and the public. It puts everyone in harm’s way and that’s not good for anybody.”

This story was originally published February 19, 2021 at 5:00 AM.