It is a criminal offense to make a false police report of a crime—knowingly and with the intent to deceive—if the statement is material to a criminal investigation and is made to (1) a peace officer or federal special investigator conducting the investigation; (2) any employee of a law enforcement agency that is authorized by the agency to conduct the investigation and that the person making the statement knows is conducting the investigation; or (3) a corrections officer or jailer.

The crime of making a false police report may be prosecuted as a misdemeanor or as a felony, depending on the state, and is punishable in many states by jail time, fines, community service, and probation. The definitions and punishments for the crime of making a false police report vary from state to state and are usually located in a state’s statutes.

In Arizona, making a false report of a crime is a criminal offense under Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-2907.01. A person commits this offense if they knowingly make a false statement to a peace officer, federal special investigator, or any authorized employee of a law enforcement agency, with the intent to deceive and if the statement is material to a criminal investigation. This law also applies to false statements made to corrections officers or jailers. The offense is typically classified as a class 1 misdemeanor, which is the most serious misdemeanor classification in Arizona. Penalties for a class 1 misdemeanor may include up to six months in jail, a fine of up to $2,500, or both. Additionally, the court may impose probation and community service. The severity of the punishment can vary based on the circumstances of the case and the discretion of the court.