A Move To Make "Swatting" A Federal Crime
MEDIA, PA (CBS) -- You've heard of "swatting", a prank in which police are summoned to a home or business under the ruse that a dangerous situation is evolving. A local member of congress wants to make the practice a federal crime.
Delaware County Republican Pat Meehan's bill would impose fines and jail time, up to life if someone dies in a swatting incident. Given the massive police response prompted by some of these pranks, he feels a federal option for local prosecutors is appropriate, even if many of these incidents start as a childish joke.
"Nobody's looking here to automatically take some kid and put them in jail for life," Meehan told reporters at a press conference at the Delaware County Emergency Communications Center in Media. "But we want to have the capacity to be able to have authority over the situation."
The FBI estimates that there are, on average, some 400 incidents a year in this country that could fall under the category of "swatting". Many of them cross state lines, with the prank originating far away from where the incident occurs.
One such incident occurred two and a half years ago in Marple Township. It took more than 2 months to track down their suspect in Florida. Marple Police Chief Tom Murray supports the proposal as an option for local prosecutors to use in combating "swatting" incidents.
"They're costly. They're dangerous. And the legislation that's proposed is exactly what we need to up the ante when it comes to prosecuting these individuals," he said.
Right now, aside from state and local laws, the feds can only prosecute if the incident can be called a bomb threat or linked to terrorism.