In This Case, It’s the Cops Accused of ‘Prank Stupidity’
AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki,
Several officers with the Oklahoma City Police Department have been taken off duty after what authorities say began as an April Fool’s prank that escalated into a major emergency response involving multiple agencies.
According to dispatch audio and reporting from the The Oklahoman, a message sent around 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday claimed that officers in a pursuit situation reported a disturbing scenario involving a baby being thrown from a moving vehicle. Another follow-up transmission suggested the driver had struck a pedestrian described as a transient. The information triggered an immediate multi-agency response.
The situation drew in emergency resources from several departments, including the Oklahoma City Fire Department and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Fire crews reportedly dispatched multiple units, including rescue teams, a fire engine, a medical “blood unit,” and a district chief. As the response escalated, it was later communicated that the incident had not been real and was instead a prank, prompting frustration from dispatchers who said the call “wasn’t funny.”
Following the incident, the officers involved were placed on administrative leave while an internal investigation is underway. Their identities have not been released, and officials have not said whether criminal charges are being considered. Attorney Noble McIntyre told the KFOR-TV that misuse of 911 services is a misdemeanor in Oklahoma, carrying penalties that can include a fine and potential jail time, though enforcement is inconsistent, allowing false calls and swatting incidents to continue occurring.
State 911 coordinator Lance Terry, speaking to KOCO-TV, warned that false reports drain emergency resources and can put the public at risk by delaying real emergency responses. Public reaction has been strongly critical, with some social media users calling for the officers to be fired and prosecuted. One commenter told The Oklahoman there was “no possible excuse” for what they described as reckless behavior.
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