Crime & Safety

Schumer: Make 'Swatting' a Federal Offense

Last week's fake hostage call in Garden City is part of a sophisticated and expensive trend, officials said.

Heather Doyle's profile picture
Heather Doyle, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge

Nearly a week after a 911 caller falsely reported a hostage situation in Garden City, Sen. Charles Schumer said he is seeking to make the act a federal crime.

Schumer, D-NY, announced plans Monday to combat “swatting,” a prank where fake emergencies are reported to prompt a massive response from authorities, by introducing legislation that would increase penalties for the crime. A conviction of swatting as a federal crime would put the culprit behind bars for up to eight years and require them to pay restitution to law enforcement, according to CBS New York.

“In this … bizarre world of swatting, you get points for the helicopter, for the police cars, for the SWAT team, for the type of entry,” Long Beach Police Commissioner Chief Michael Tangney told CBS last year after a swatting incident in the neighborhood. “It’s very sophisticated,” he added. “Unfortunately, it’s very dangerous.”

Find out what's happening in Garden Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Sign up for your local daily Patch newsletter and breaking news alerts here

In April 2014, a sore loser playing Call of Duty told police that a 17-year-old Long Beach resident shot hit family. SWAT teams, Long Beach and Nassau Police, and MTA Police responded to the Laurelton Boulevard home but found no emergency had occurred.

Find out what's happening in Garden Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

On top of being dangerous, swatting also racks up a huge price tag for taxpayers. Wednesday’s incident alone set Nassau County back a total of $20,000, according to Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano, reported 1010 WINS.

“We need to make sure that every time a 911 dispatcher answers a call that it is a real emergency,” Schumer said, according to Newsday. “And we need to swat down this disturbing trend before it is too late and someone is seriously hurt.”

Nassau County reported 10 cases of swatting in 2014, according to the report. The county has already reported nine cases this year. Suffolk reported 21 cases last year and is up to 13 reports so far in 2015.

Photo: File

More on Patch:

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to [email protected].

More from Garden City