Indiana Treasurer Calls for Stronger Policies for Swatting
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Treasurer Daniel Elliott says recent swatting calls against five Republican state senators show why the state needs stronger policies and smarter use of its 911 technology.
Speaking with WIBC’s Tony Katz , Elliott said the recent swatting calls are very different from normal emergencies and need a new investigative approach.
“These aren’t normal 911 situations,” Elliott said. “Typically, when you think of 911, you think of a person calling, someone dialing because they need help. But in every one of these swatting cases, there’s no one on the phone. It’s usually an email, and sometimes it’s not even sent to the right authorities. It might go to a random county email. That’s a red flag.”
Elliott said Indiana’s statewide 911 system is among the most advanced in the nation, a point he stressed as a reason to update procedures.
“I say this with the same pride I have when one of my kids does something great — Indiana has some of the best 911 technology in the country,” Elliott said. “We were the first in places like Huntington, Indiana, to implement modern 911 systems. We really are cutting-edge.”
Because of that, Elliott said, the state should be using its tools to identify potential swatting attempts earlier.
“We need to start looking at how to flag something that might be a swatting,” he said. “These situations require a completely different response. Our responders shouldn’t be breaking down doors because of an email hoax.”
Elliott says politics seem to be driving these swatting cases.
“To think that this is happening because of political discord: that is the worst reason,” he said. “People should be able to feel safe. They shouldn’t have to worry about what’s going to happen to their spouse and children.”
He says the problem might not stop with politicians.
“The danger is the copycat effect,” Elliott said. “Someone could say, ‘I don’t like this person,’ or ‘This girl broke up with me, so I’m going to swat her.’ We have to get ahead of that.”
