Filing a police report?

[beatitude]

About two months ago I was pulled into the office over a complaint that had been made to the hospital about things I'd written on my anonymous Twitter, which apparently claimed that the hospital was dangerous and patients' lives were at risk.

I had actually been tweeting about the health centre in the refugee camp where I used to work (and it's not exactly inflammatory or rocket science to point out that refugee camps are sometimes dangerous places). An online acquaintance, who has never met me in person but knows me through the blog I used to write about disability issues, had seen the tweet, decided it referred to my current workplace (and he didn't even know for sure what that was - I could have been working in any one of the four hospitals that interviewed me), and contacted a patient's mother over it, saying a child had nearly died at the hospital and that she should investigate.

This man didn't know the parent either; he'd just seen her in an online support group for the parents of mentally ill children. I found out it was him because the parent named him in her report to the hospital, thinking he was the father of another child there. But even if she hadn't named names, I would have known who it was anyway - when he heard I was interviewing at this particular hospital, the same guy kept trying to give me info about children being treated there, which he'd gleaned from the parents' support group (and probably embellished). I didn't reply to his insistent messages and put him on ignore, as this was such unethical behaviour.

This man likes to feel that he's a hero, I think. The other night he called the police on someone he only knows via Twitter (and not even that well), saying she was going to commit suicide. She wasn't. He'd misinterpreted her tweets as he'd misinterpreted mine. She does have a mental illness (which is why he follows her - he's obsessed with other people's health issues) but she wasn't at any particular risk until he'd called police and they woke her up at midnight, at which point she had a severe anxiety attack. It turns out he's done this to at least one other person, possibly more. Some online support groups for disabled people have banned him for being too intrusive.

I and the lady he called the police on have almost decided to report him to the police, as we feel that vulnerable people may be at risk from his nosy behaviour, but we're hesitant. I'm just worried that we won't be taken seriously and the police will tell us that the answer is just to be more careful with social media. What would others do in this situation?

[Nihil Obstat]

I doubt you have any case with the police, as false report charges from my understanding typically require proving malice. You would not seem to have a civil case either, as I cannot see any damages.

[beatitude]

We don't want to make a prosecution. We want the police to note down his name in case he tries to call police and ambulances to any more people whom he only knows tangentially online, because he has caused a lot of needless distress on the occasions he's done it. Do you think they're unlikely to be able to do this?

[bardegaulois]

20 minutes ago, beatitude said:

We don't want to make a prosecution. We want the police to note down his name in case he tries to call police and ambulances to any more people whom he only knows tangentially online, because he has caused a lot of needless distress on the occasions he's done it. Do you think they're unlikely to be able to do this?

If he does habitually make such reports to the police or other agencies which are always found to be unsubstantiated, then without a doubt the police already know who he is. If this persists, it's likely that he will be warned and then, if his behaviour does not stop, charged. Unless you have reason to file charges or bring a suit against him (which you don't appear to), you needn't do anything about this.

[CatherineM]

It's hard to make a case against people who encourage others to commit suicide online, so they won't touch this unless they get tired of him calling in emergencies. 

[beatitude]

That is what I thought. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, he has only called the police on people a handful of times. He's contacted the employers, family members, and partners of online strangers before now, to give details of the health-related things these people are sharing online, and when one woman got angry and encouraged everyone she knows to block him on social media, he wrote that he was tired of needy people being ungrateful to him. As though all these strangers are begging him to come into their lives and fix everything for them. I don't think we even have a harassment case as he does it to lots of different people rather than just bombarding the same person with unwanted attention - it has to be recurrent for the police to take notice, I think. I hope his behaviour doesn't end up having harmful consequences for someone. He seems to be getting worse.

[Gabriela]

Does he use the same username or avatar everywhere he's active online?

[Benedictus]

Maybe he has some mental issues that factor into why he acts in this way. If not, maybe he's a troll of some sort who decides to act out in this way and cause trouble. It can be disruptive in either case.

In terms of police or civil action- it depends on the country or state this relates. It would probably be dealt differently between the US and most parts of the UK [the places I've most experience]. I doubt it would be classed as harassment, unless it was long term and involved multiple actions against the same person.

Doing the same thing all the time, but to multiple people, could be actioned by the police or a civil authority [Council, social housing landlord etc] by way of an antisocial behavior order (ASBO) or a similar cease and desist measure/injunction. The latter usually relating to specific persons or places, the former being more flexible in application. They, as often is the case, take time and effort though.

The police may well not be aware this person is a multiple case causing problem, especially if the incidents have occured across jurisdictions. It may well also be that this person causes problems where the police don't get involved, but other agencies do, as well. They might be able to issue a verbal or wriiten warning, possibly even a caution, that may well be enough to stop the person. There are laws governing written and online communication in the UK too [probably in the US too to a lesser extent], if they sent messages/letters are considered abusive, discriminating, harassment or obscene. This includes public forums, tweets and Facebook posts too.

It may be worth getting legal advice though, maybe as a group, if others are willing to join exploring a complaint. It may well be that other things come to light? I doubt it's isolated to online. His neighbors may well be on the receiving end of pot stirring/accusations/complaints to various agencies based on similar patterns of behavior.

It's always good to be extra cautious online though and reduce the chances anyone can misuse anything shared or intrude into things, regardless of the intentions. Blocking and banning may well be necessary. But people find ways of rejoining, if they're that motivated. Plus there's always the chance another person could do the same again unless what is shared, or how it's linked to RL, is carefully considered.

Hope the situation resolves with a good end.