OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Oklahoma City Police say officers allegedly involved in an ‘April Fools’ prank that led dispatchers to believe a fleeing driver had thrown a baby out of a car window and run a person over are now on administrative leave.
Dispatchers were tracking an Oklahoma City police officer who appeared to be in the middle of a pursuit at around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The officer couldn’t be heard over the radio. Instead, a dispatcher said the officer was sending updates through the department’s electronic messaging system. As the apparent pursuit continued, dispatchers tracked the officer via a map.
At one point, a dispatcher is heard via audio relaying a message that the officer had reported that a baby had been thrown out the window during the alleged pursuit.
It didn’t end there.
“He supposedly ran over a transient,” a dispatcher can then be heard saying in the audio.
An Oklahoma Highway Patrol dispatcher then weighed in, asking if the Oklahoma City officers needed assistance. A second Oklahoma City officer joined the purported pursuit.
An Oklahoma City police K9 officer can be heard asking dispatch if the radios of either officer were working, to which the dispatcher responded that they were receiving updates via the messaging system.
The alleged pursuit officers then sent a message saying the vehicle had struck a person, prompting Oklahoma City firefighters to rush to the scene.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma City police dispatchers were still trying to figure out what was happening.
“We can terminate this pursuit,” an Oklahoma City police supervisor finally chimed in.
That’s when dispatchers say the officers sent another message: “It was an April Fools’ prank,” an Oklahoma City police dispatcher can be heard relaying.
Those allegedly responsible for the prank were all Oklahoma City Police officers. It’s not yet clear how many officers were involved in the prank; however, they’re on administrative leave while the investigation continues.
Nexstar’s KFOR asked Oklahoma City Police if those involved could face criminal charges, but did not receive a clear answer. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Oklahoma City Fire Department declined to comment.
While all of the details behind Wednesday’s incident haven’t been released, Noble McIntyre with McIntyre Law told KFOR that the misuse of 911 is a misdemeanor in Oklahoma.
“It’s a $500 fine and up to 90 days in jail,” McIntyre explained, adding, though that this case is different. “It’s bigger than that. It’s the trust in the department, and to know if I’m at home and something happens to one of my kids or my spouse, if I pick up 911 and call them, they’re going to respond timely.”
McIntyre noted that false reports and swatting calls happen very frequently.
“I think part of the problem is that the consequence for that is not severe enough in this case under Oklahoma law. But when have you ever heard anybody actually get 90 days in jail and a $500 fine? Nothing actually ever happens. Until we start having severe consequences for some of this behavior, you’re going to continue to see the same problem over and over.”
