City Council Votes To Crack Down On 'Swatting' Suspects
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The Los Angeles City Council Wednesday unanimously gave preliminary approval to a law that would crack down on individuals who make false 911 calls about high-profile residences.
Once finalized, the law would require convicted "swatting" perpetrators to reimburse the Police Department for their efforts during a false alarm.
"Something will eventually go wrong if we don't nip this practice in the bud," said Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Koretz, who was a victim of swatting himself, KNX1070's Megan Goldsby reports.
City Council Voted To Crack Down On 'Swatting' Suspects
The practice is referred to as "swatting" because SWAT units often have to be called to the celebrity homes as a result of the prank calls.
The law also offers a reward for anyone who provides information leading to the arrest and conviction of "swatting" perpetrators.
A similar bill that will add a fine of up to $10,000 to cover the costs of emergency mobilization for false 911 calls was passed by the State Assembly in August.
In April, the LAPD announced it would no longer offer immediate information to the media on "swatting" calls, claiming news coverage often sparked more false calls.
The media will now have to file a public records request, which can take 10 days.
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