50°
Police cordoned off the area around the Oldwoods Road residence after receiving the 3:15 p.m. call Sunday, Capt. John Bakelaar said.
They determined in less than an hour that they’d been subjected to a “swatting” incident, Bakelaar said.
“There were no issues at the residence and the telephone call was illegitimate in nature,” he said.
"Swatting" incidents peaked nationwide about five years ago but have since subsided somewhat.
Authorities say deploying SWAT teams and additional personnel from an area to unsuspecting victims’ homes and businesses -- as well as to schools that end up being locked down -- can put people in danger while diverting resources from potential areas of critical need.
Last year, a judge in Kansas sentenced a California swatter to a mandatory 20 years in federal prison for a bogus 911 call that resulted in an innocent man's death.
Detectives were investigating Sunday’s hoax, Bakelaar said.
Click here to follow Daily Voice West Milford and receive free news updates.
