LONELY MAN REPEATEDLY CALLS 911 TO REPORT BOGUS EMERGENCIES

A Pennsylvania man has been charged with making three 911 calls to report bogus emergencies simply because he was lonely and wanted paramedics to show up.

Pennsylvania police say that 52-year-old Gregory Shaffer called 911 three times over a four hour period on July 30 with various false complaints. The first time, Shaffer claimed he had fallen down some stairs and injured his head and neck. Paramedics say they found him intoxicated but otherwise well and calmly waiting inside his home.

Shaffer was arrested and jailed after his arraignment on charges of making false reports to authorities.

In New York, while the charges related to Falsely Reporting an Incident can usually be chalked up to a foolish mistake or a prank, these charges certainly fall into the realm of non-violent crimes that may have the ire of Assistant District Attorneys and judges alike. In some circumstances, when a false emergency call is made, not only does the call waste the time and money of the police, but many times results in the police or other emergency workers responding to a scene at a high rate of speed. Therefore, these charges are frequently accompanied by the charge of Reckless Endangerment.

It is critically important to recognize that Falsely Reporting an Incident can either be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. As such, it is punishable by up to one year in jail and as much as up to seven years in state prison. A Brooklyn man was recently convicted and remanded to jail after being convicted of placing over 400 false 911 calls in an effort to quiet a rowdy bar near his apartment in Williamsburg. He faces up to seven years in jail.

If you are lonely, go get a dog or a job. Call your parents. Surf the internet. Do not call 911.

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