Tampa police want to get the word out that the 911 emergency line is for just that: emergencies only. People who abuse the 911 system can face criminal charges and might be subject to jail time and fines. Still, the police department is reluctant to arrest first-time offenders, instead usually issuing warnings. Most people charged with abuse of the 911 emergency system in Tampa repeat callers, who are usually either pranksters who fail to understand the seriousness of the police department's efforts to address real emergencies or, in other cases, the mentally ill.
In 2009, Tampa police have already reported charging several people with misdemeanors related to their phony 911 calls. Still, compared to the nearly 50,000 phone calls the emergency services line handled in March, few people are actually penalized. The operators believe that the prevalence of cell phones has led to an increase in non-emergency calls.
Some of the more ridiculous lately include two 11-year-old brothers who repeatedly prank called the system. The outcome of their case was not disclosed because they are juveniles, but the boys were already on home detention, apparently imposed by the juvenile court for an earlier offense. They called 911 saying things such as, "I want to have sex with you," and trying out various curse words. Jonathan Hill, who is 19 years old, reportedly called 911 in February to tell operators about gunshots he heard. As it turned out, there were no gunshots and Hill just thought making a false police report "seemed like a fun thing to do at the time." Police were not as amused as Hill was. Hill was charged with a misdemeanor and fined over $1,300.
A homeless Mexican man called 911 to report a robbery on March 28, but then requested that police turn him over the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. He wanted to be deported, he explained to law enforcement officers, because he could not pay for a plane ticket to return to his home country to see his family. He was fined and released to immigration officers.
The Tampa police urge residents to call 911 only for real emergencies, as clogging up the system can cause the department to take longer to respond to those who are actually in need.
If you have been arrested for a crime in the Tampa bay area, contact the Tampa criminal defense lawyers at Musca Law as soon as possible.
In 2009, Tampa police have already reported charging several people with misdemeanors related to their phony 911 calls. Still, compared to the nearly 50,000 phone calls the emergency services line handled in March, few people are actually penalized. The operators believe that the prevalence of cell phones has led to an increase in non-emergency calls.
Some of the more ridiculous lately include two 11-year-old brothers who repeatedly prank called the system. The outcome of their case was not disclosed because they are juveniles, but the boys were already on home detention, apparently imposed by the juvenile court for an earlier offense. They called 911 saying things such as, "I want to have sex with you," and trying out various curse words. Jonathan Hill, who is 19 years old, reportedly called 911 in February to tell operators about gunshots he heard. As it turned out, there were no gunshots and Hill just thought making a false police report "seemed like a fun thing to do at the time." Police were not as amused as Hill was. Hill was charged with a misdemeanor and fined over $1,300.
A homeless Mexican man called 911 to report a robbery on March 28, but then requested that police turn him over the Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. He wanted to be deported, he explained to law enforcement officers, because he could not pay for a plane ticket to return to his home country to see his family. He was fined and released to immigration officers.
The Tampa police urge residents to call 911 only for real emergencies, as clogging up the system can cause the department to take longer to respond to those who are actually in need.
If you have been arrested for a crime in the Tampa bay area, contact the Tampa criminal defense lawyers at Musca Law as soon as possible.
