605.071     Making False Alarms

(a) No person shall do either of the following:

(1) Initiate a call to 9-1-1 regarding an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime, or other emergency, knowing that such report is false, and likely to cause inconvenience or alarm;

(2) Knowingly cause a false alarm of fire or other emergency to be transmitted to or within any safety service in the City of Cleveland, for dealing with emergencies involving a risk of physical harm to persons or property;

(3) Report to 9-1-1 that an alleged offense or other incident within the respective areas of concern for the safety divisions occurred, knowing that such offense did not occur;

(4) Knowingly use the 9-1-1 system, knowing that no major critical or life threatening emergency exists and knowing that such report is likely to result in unnecessary consumption of safety services; or

(b) Whoever violates this section is guilty of improper use of 9-1-1 telephone system, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(Ord. No. 1783-97. Passed 6-12-00, eff. 6-22-00)