New Jersey Law on False Reports to Police: What You Need to Know

Filing a false police report can get you into big trouble in New Jersey. But what exactly is a “false report,” and what happens if you get caught? This article will break it down so you understand the law and the consequences.

What the Heck is a “False Report?”

Let’s start with the basics. In New Jersey, there’s a specific law called “False Reports to Law Enforcement Authorities” under Section 2C:28-4 of the criminal code. It says you can’t knowingly give false information to the police to:

• Falsely accuse someone else of a crime (aka “falsely incriminate” them)
• Report a fake crime or incident that didn’t happen (aka a “fictitious report”)

Seems pretty straight-forward, right? Well, here’s where things get tricky…

Falsely Incriminating Others

If you tell the cops something fake to get someone else in trouble, you’re committing a crime. How bad of a crime depends on what you’re accusing them of:

• 3rd degree crime if it’s something minor
• 2nd degree crime if it’s more serious

So let’s say you call the cops and falsely accuse your neighbor of stealing your lawnmower. That’s probably a 3rd degree crime. But if you accuse them of robbing a bank, now it’s a 2nd degree crime since robbery is more serious.

Here’s the kicker – it doesn’t matter if you actually knew how serious the fake crime was. Just making up any crime to get someone else arrested is illegal, period. Ignorance is not an excuse!

Making Up Fake Crimes

You can also get charged just for making up a fake crime, even if you don’t blame anyone else. There’s two ways to do this:

1. Actually reporting a totally made-up incident to the police
2. Pretending you have information about a crime, when you really don’t

Both of these are 4th degree crimes.

For example, let’s say you need an excuse for why you missed work. If you call the cops and claim your car was stolen overnight, but really it wasn’t, that’s a fictitious report.

Or what if the police are investigating a robbery and ask if you have any information. If you make up some bogus tip just to sound helpful, you’re also committing a crime.

Why Do People Do This?!

Good question! There’s a few possible reasons someone might file a false report:

• Revenge against someone they want to get in trouble
• Distract the cops from their own real crime
• Insurance fraud (make up a fake accident for example)
• Mental health issues could also play a role

Obviously these reasons don’t make it okay, but it explains why some folks make poor choices.

What’s the Punishment?

The penalties get more severe as the crimes get more serious:

• 3rd degree crime – up to 5 years in prison and $15,000 fine
• 2nd degree crime – up to 10 years in prison and $150,000 fine
• 4th degree crime – up to 18 months in prison and $10,000 fine

And of course you’ll have a permanent criminal record if convicted. That can really mess up your future job and education opportunities.

How Can You Fight the Charges?

If you’ve been accused of filing a false report, don’t panic! Here are some ways a criminal defense lawyer might defend you:

• Claim you didn’t actually know the information was false
• Argue you never intended to mislead the police
• Challenge whether the prosecution can prove you knew it was fake
• Negotiate a plea deal to reduce the charges

Having an experienced attorney in your corner makes a huge difference. They can often get charges dismissed or minimized so the consequences aren’t as devastating.

Don’t Try This at Home, Folks

Hopefully this gives you a better understanding of New Jersey’s laws on false police reports. Filing a fake report can totally ruin someone’s life and land you in prison. It’s just not worth it.

If you or someone you know has been accused of this crime, contact a lawyer immediately. Don’t try to talk your way out of it alone. With an attorney’s help, you may be able to avoid being convicted and keep your record clean.

We all makes mistakes, but this is one that can haunt you forever. Use your noodle and think twice before lying to the cops! Your future self will thank you.