Making False Alarms
Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 605.07
in effect§ 605.07 Making False Alarms
(a) No person shall do any of the following:
(1) Initiate or circulate a report or warning of an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime or other catastrophe, knowing that the report or warning is false and likely to cause public inconvenience or alarm;
(2) Knowingly cause a false alarm of fire or other emergency to be transmitted to or within any organization, public or private, for dealing with emergencies involving a risk of physical harm to persons or property;
(3) Report to any law enforcement agency an alleged offense or other incident within its concern, knowing that such offense did not occur;
(4) Report a medical emergency, injury or condition knowing that none exists.
(b) This section does not apply:
(1) To any person conducting an authorized fire or emergency drill; or
(2) If the violation results in economic harm of five hundred dollars ($500.00) or more; or
(3) If a violation of this section pertains to a purported, threatened or actual use of a weapon of mass destruction.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of making false alarms, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(RC 2917.32; Ord. No. 204-10. Passed 5-10-10, eff. 5-20-10)
Source: City of Cleveland, Ohio, Codified Ordinances and City Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/cleveland/latest/cleveland_oh/0-0-0-31604Fetched: 11/1/2026