PECOS, Texas — Residents of Pecos were alarmed Monday afternoon when the police responded to a phone call from a juvenile threatening to hurt his family members.
However, after nearly an hour to an hour and a half of investigation, Pecos Police Department called the situation a false alarm and said the call was a hoax.
The call came in anonymously through the non-emergency line around 3 p.m. After the juvenile gave police the address, first responders were sent out to try and bring the situation to a close.
However, the caller made repeated calls to the police department to change the address they were located at, making police question the legitimacy of the call.
"In events like this, when there are reports of such [seriousness], each call that comes in we take it serious and we respond appropriately," said Pecos Police Chief Lisa Tarango. "Through the investigation in those moments, we were unable to validate or confirm that it was indeed a valid call."
Hoax calls such as this one can threaten the safety of all parties involved and create problems for first responders, who use resources responding to a false scenario that could be spent in other places for real crime.
Plus, dispatching first responders in a high-intensity scenario can cause a multitude of problems for drivers who may inadvertently be in the way.
"When you have first responders responding, obviously, to an emergency, the speed becomes a factor, the traffic, the ability to have accidents," said Tarango. "The public as well, trying to hear what’s going on through scanners, start responding to the area where police activity is happening."
So why do people make these calls?
Tarango believes that hoax callers are trying to deploy a smokescreen tactic to mislead the police. Other times, they may have more nefarious intentions in mind.
"Maybe something happening on the opposite side of town," said Tarango. "Is there other criminal behavior going on that they are trying to divert the police? Or is it a potential attack on the police to get them to a certain area?"
The Pecos Police Department is still investigating who made the initial report. If the culprit is found, they are facing a felony offense for causing the false alarm.