In areas that have high crime rates and low response times from the police, it can be frustrating to be a crime victim and feel as though the police aren't prioritizing your case. Some people in this situation might be tempted to exaggerate the nature of the crime that someone has committed against them. For example, instead of calling 911 to say that someone grabbed your purse and ran away, you might say that the person held a gun to your head and robbed you. The latter charge is obviously more serious and is apt to produce a quicker response from the police. However, if the authorities investigate the crime and determine that you weren't honest, you'll get charged with making a false report. Here are other risks of this type of lie.
The Culprit Could Get Hurt
Although you probably aren't too concerned with the well being of your assailant at this time, you need to be aware that a false report puts his or her safety in jeopardy. If the police believe that the culprit is armed and dangerous, they'll be much more jumpy when attempting to apprehend him or her. If the person — who is actually unarmed — were to make a quick movement, it's possible that the police could shoot him. Your charge becomes more serious because it was your false report that contributed to the police acting aggressively.
Pedestrians Could Be Injured
If the police are responding to your call with more urgency than they would if you'd reported the details accurately, they're likely driving fast with their lights and sirens on. Police are very serious about guns and will endeavor to get to the scene of any reported gun crime as fast as they can. It's possible for one of the police cars to either get in an accident with another vehicle or maybe even hit a pedestrian because of its top speed. This is another scenario in which you might be charged for being partially responsible, as the police would argue that they'd be driving slower if you hadn't reported the presence of a gun.
Other People Could Be Victimized
In a gun call, many of the police officers in a given area will stop what they're doing and hurry to the scene. This can mean that some officers may be leaving scenes that are somewhat volatile because they make a judgment call that your scene is more dangerous — again, largely because you reported the presence of a gun. It's possible that someone who was relying on the police for safety or help in another are could then be left alone and perhaps become the victim of a crime. Making a false report is a serious allegation, so you should quickly hire a criminal defense attorney, like those at Maruca Law, to represent you.
Share18 October 2018
Adopting a child is a wonderful way to bring a child into your family and give a child that needs a home a loving environment to grow up in. Unfortunately, the adoption process is not easy to get through. If you fail to file one document, the adoption can be set back by months. This blog will show you what to expect as you work your way thorough the adoption process and give you a few ideas of the things that you should leave up to your family attorney. Hopefully, what I have learned through my two adoptions will help you get through yours with no issues.
