Toughening penalties for fake 911 calls

The list of acts that constitutes criminal conduct related to emergency telephone calls is a signature away from expanding.

Sponsored by Rep. Steve Simon (DFL-Hopkins) and Sen. Susan Kent (DFL-Woodbury), HF1043/SF1168* was passed 130-0 by the House Friday, it now goes to the governor. The Senate passed the bill 62-0 Monday.

Under the bill, it would be a misdemeanor if someone “makes or initiates an emergency call, knowing that no emergency exists, and with the intent to disrupt, interfere with, or reduce the provision of emergency services or the emergency call center’s resources, remains silent or makes abusive or harassing statements to the call recipient.” Doing this a second time would result in a gross misdemeanor. Three or more infractions would be felonies.

It would also be a gross misdemeanor to report a fictitious emergency to prompt an emergency response. If someone suffers great bodily harm or is killed as a result of the response, the charge would be a felony.

“The bottom line is this enhances penalties and allows prosecutors to charge an individual with a felony, obviously optional, if the individual intentionally reports a fictitiously emergency with the intent of getting an emergency response and if the responder or someone else is seriously injured or killed,” Simon said, adding the bill has the support of the state ambulance, police chiefs and sheriffs associations.

He also said in smaller towns, some people have made knowingly false calls to direct resources to one area while they then do something mischievous in another part because resources are focused on the first call.

Pete Eggimann, director of 911 services for the Metropolitan Emergency Services Board, told the House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee March 12 that this bill would provide more tools for a growing problem.