MICHIGAN HOUSE APPROVES LEGISLATION TO INCREASE PENALTIES FOR HIGH-TECH ‘SWATTING’

May 23, 2012

People who make false calls to Michigan emergency response centers could face felony charges under legislation overwhelmingly approved Tuesday by the Michigan House to help combat a disturbing national trend known as “swatting.”

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard and state Reps. Kurt Heise and Pat Somerville held a news conference in Pontiac today to discuss the importance of the legislation.

House Bill 5431, introduced by Heise, makes the crime a felony punishable by up to four years in prison.  Swatting usually entails using the Internet to make false emergency phone calls to 911 centers, in the hopes of getting a SWAT team or similar first responders to show up at an innocent person’s address.

“Swatting is a dangerous crime that jeopardizes lives and costs thousands of dollars in taxpayer resources,” said Heise, R-Plymouth.  “Our first responders believe they are entering an extremely threatening situation.  It’s a sick hoax with very real consequences.”

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