A Dangerous Call

Swatting, a crime more often seen on the evening news than small Kentucky towns, is becoming increasingly familiar to law enforcement across the country. However, thanks to the passage of House Bill 48, signed into law by Gov. Andy Beshear in April, the crime is now a Class D felony in the commonwealth.

Swatting occurs when an individual calls 911 and reports violence, such as a shooting or hostage situation, that results in a law enforcement response, Lexington Police Department Commander Samuel Murdock said. Such crimes can prove dangerous for the victim, community and responding law enforcement, and costly in terms of funds and manpower.

Often, victims will have no real connection to the perpetrator—or one that is very minimal, said Murdock. The troublesome trend can often be traced back to vengeful online gamers looking to settle a score in real life instead of the digital world.

Tiny Little Details

While every call should be responded to and taken seriously, Georgetown-Scott County 911 Center Coordinator Lt. Brian Moore says there are sometimes small details that can signal to telecommunicators and law enforcement that a call could be hoax.

“A lot of swatting calls come in on the administrative line, not on 911,” Moore explained. Calling 911 would trigger the caller’s local emergency response, not the city of their intended target. It can sometimes be a red flag when the call is coming from California but reporting an incident in Lexington, Ky., Murdock added.

Moore said another clue is that a caller may say they live in a certain area but mispronounce street names or use “court” when they should be using “road.” Additionally, a perpetrator might report an incident that doesn’t make sense to the county or city’s infrastructure or may have a tone of voice that doesn’t match a normal response to the situation they describe.

Response, Investigation and the Law

According to Murdock, there are ways law enforcement can assess whether a report is true while still taking steps to appropriately respond. The first officers on the scene can play an important role in gathering information. For example, officers shouldn’t park directly in front of a location so they can better observe the scene as they approach.

The commander recalled an incident where a report came in that several people had been shot, but when officers arrived, the home was vacant. The call was identified as a swatting incident.

“Pay attention. Be vigilant on the call,” he continued, explaining that people that live and work in the area can often hold information that can quickly deescalate a situation. “Obviously, you will have an elevated response (to a reported violent crime) but look for little indicators and take in all the information you’ve got. Do your homework. It could be something as simple as asking the neighbor who lives in the house next door.”

After a call is determined to be swatting, investigators may follow up forensically to track their digital footprint, a process is time-consuming but can lead to a suspect.

As for whether making swatting a felony will detract perpetrators, Moore said he doesn’t know as, most offenders live out of state and may be unfamiliar with the law. However, he said, those attempting to swat can now be held accountable.