The Lincoln Police Department is investigating a series of hoax emergency calls involving false reports of fires across the city. Over the past month, at least eight fraudulent fire reports have been made, including four since Monday afternoon.
“The Lincoln Emergency Communications Center has received calls from a local crisis line with information from a caller about an active fire at various locations,” says Public Information Officer Erika Thomas. “When dispatched, first responders with Lincoln Fire & Rescue and LPD found no emergency at the reported sites.”
Thomas says LECC takes every phone call and text message from the community seriously, operating under the assumption that all reports reflect genuine emergencies. “However, when these requests for emergency services are determined to be swatting incidents, they have a detrimental impact on public safety, community trust and city resources.”
LPD is actively investigating these hoax calls.