Missouri’s State Senate Leader wants to boost penalties for “swatting” pranks

Missouri Senate President Pro-Tem Caleb Rowden says he will file legislation to increase the penalties for swatting. 

Swatting is when a prank call is made to law enforcement to prompt armed officers to respond to a specific location. 

Rowden, a Republican from Columbia, says swatting is becoming an alarming trend. Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft says his home was the target of a swatting call Sunday night. 

Ashcroft says he and his family are safe. 

Making a false police report in Missouri is currently a class B misdemeanor, which is punishable by a maximum of six months in jail and up to one thousand dollars in fines.