By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• Oklahoma City Police Department has placed several officers on administrative leave following a false April Fools’ Day 911 report.
• The April 1 call to dispatchers falsely claimed a suspect threw a baby out of a moving vehicle.
• Police radio audio shows multiple officers responded before realizing the report was a hoax.
• Capt. Valerie Littlejohn says an internal investigation is ongoing.
• Oklahoma law makes knowingly false emergency reports a misdemeanor offense.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Several Oklahoma City Police Department officers have been placed on administrative leave after an April Fools’ Day 911 call falsely reported that a suspect had thrown a baby from a moving vehicle, prompting an emergency response before the report was determined to be a hoax.
The April 1 incident involved radio traffic in which dispatchers relayed a claim that a suspect “threw a baby out the window,” leading multiple officers to respond before it was revealed to be an April Fools’ prank.
Oklahoma City Police Capt. Valerie Littlejohn confirmed Monday that an internal investigation is underway but did not disclose how many officers were placed on leave or provide further details.
Published police radio audio from the night of the incident shows an officer communicating location details via messaging and later dispatchers announcing the call was a prank.
Officials have not stated whether criminal charges will be pursued; Oklahoma law designates knowingly false emergency reports as a misdemeanor with possible fines and assessments for response costs.