New Law Increases Penalties For Bogus 911 Calls
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A new state law takes effect on Friday, yet another attempt to stop fake calls to 911.
Five years ago, a law took effect aimed at deterring bogus calls to 911, making it a felony to make a false 911 call.
State Rep. John Anthony (R-Joliet) said the new law he authored will go a step further. It adds an additional possible penalty: violators could be ordered to pay up to $10,000 in restitution for the costs of responding to a false 911 call.
Anthony, a Kendall County Sheriff's deputy, recounted a time he responded to a 911 call about a stabbing.
"We got a call that a family was being attacked, that the mother had just been stabbed, and I'm driving 75-80 miles an hour to get to a scene," he said. "When I get to the scene, there were three other officers that responded with me, we all had our guns drawn; and the mother, she opened the door, she was startled, because she had no idea what was going on."
Anthony said bogus 911 calls, also known as swatting, cost authorities a lot every year, despite a previous law five years ago that tried to stop it.