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 Indiana, making a false police report is considered a criminal offense under Indiana Code 35-44.1-2-3. A person commits this offense if they provide a report or statement about the commission of a crime to a law enforcement officer or agency, knowing that the report or statement is false. This law applies to reports made to peace officers, federal special investigators, authorized employees of law enforcement agencies, corrections officers, or jailers. The intent to deceive must be present for the act to be considered a criminal offense. The severity of the charge can range from a misdemeanor to a felony, depending on the circumstances and the impact of the false report. Penalties for making a false police report in Indiana can include jail time, fines, community service, and probation. The specific classification of the offense and the associated penalties are determined by the particular facts of the case and the discretion of the prosecuting attorney.