Last month, while my family was enjoying a Christmas Eve at home, we were abruptly interrupted by disturbing event. As our children began screaming, my wife looked on our front door security camera to see law enforcement officers rapidly approaching our home with their service weapons drawn. Clearly, we were unsure what was going on or what to do next.
State Sen. Clint Dixon
Cautiously, we approached the front door and calmly opened it to meet the officers. Luckily, we recognized the officers who were rapidly advancing. Still confused, we asked the frantic officers what the problem was while they asked us who was at home and if everyone was safe. After a few questions, we were all able to conclude that there was no emergency, and the scene went calm. What neither we nor the officers knew at the time is that we all had just been victims of “swatting.”
In recent years, this alarming crime has cast a shadow over public safety, leaving communities vulnerable to the reckless manipulation of emergency response systems all to prank their victims. Swatting, in short, is placing a false report of a potentially violent crime at the address of the address of the intended victim. The false report triggers an immediate response by law enforcement to intervene. In my family’s case, it was falsely reported that an armed suspect had taken a hostage at our home. In a second incident, it was reported that someone had been shot in the eye and a bomb was in the home. Several of my legislative colleagues were victims of the same experience.
Swatting can have terrible and unintended consequences. There are dozens of examples of swatting resulting in harm and even death to intended victims. To illicit the type of response from law enforcement that swatting criminals are seeking, they must falsely report that a violent, potentially deadly crime is being committed. Reports of these situations can cause serious confusion with law enforcement, not knowing who or where a real crime is taking place.
In addition to safety concerns, swatting is a serious waist of public resources. Rather than spending time protecting our communities, law enforcement officers our wasting valuable time and taxpayer dollars responding to these pranks. I am truly thankful for the officers who responded to our hoax swatting attempt for acting with such professionalism, but their time would be much better served out in our community, stopping real criminals, and protecting our communities.
As a state senator, I’m compelled to share my personal experience to raise awareness of the moronic swatting trend. To help put a stop to this reckless joke, I will be introducing legislation this legislative session that will increase the penalty for swatting criminals, instigating substantive legal consequences for any party or parties responsible for swatting a resident of Georgia.
Under current Georgia law, swatting is misdemeanor. This seems far too lenient given the possible tragic consequences and the significant waste of public safety resources that result from these crimes. In the proposed legislation, a first offence of swatting would be a felony. Swatting is as simple as picking up the phone and making a call to your local emergency service hotline. In a matter of minutes, a swatting criminal can falsely mobilize a taxpayer funded attack on an unsuspecting victim. With the barrier to commit a swatting attack so low, there must be clear consequences to this irresponsible act.
I am also proposing that the penalties for swatting be greatly increased for any party who has committed multiple swatting attacks.
Beyond its legal framework, the legislative effort will help raise public awareness and educate any person considering a swatting attack. By enlightening the public about the serious repercussions and legal consequences of swatting, the Georgia Legislature can cultivate a shared sense of responsibility and discourage potential perpetrators.
Not once in my life did I ever think either myself or my family would be a victim of swatting. This experience is not one any other family in Georgia should have to experience. The reality is that swatting is not confined to public figures or those immersed in high-profile matters. It is an indiscriminate threat that tears at the very fabric of community trust.
Swatting is a significant threat to public safety, a reckless use of law enforcement resources, and waste of taxpayer dollars. This Legislative Session provides lawmakers with an opportunity to address this issue proactively before something seriously wrong happens. Let us stand united against the menace of swatting and work together to safeguard our communities from irresponsible, criminal pranksters.
State Sen. Clint Dixon, R- Buford, was elected in 2020.
