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 Missouri, making a false police report is considered a criminal offense under Missouri Revised Statutes Section 575.080. An individual commits the offense if they knowingly provide false information to a law enforcement officer, with the intent to deceive, regarding the commission of a crime that did not occur. The statute applies to false reports made to peace officers, federal special investigators, authorized employees of law enforcement agencies, corrections officers, or jailers. The severity of the charge can range from a misdemeanor to a felony, depending on the circumstances, such as the nature of the crime reported and the consequences of the false report. Penalties for making a false police report in Missouri may include imprisonment, fines, community service, and probation. The specific classification of the offense and the associated penalties are determined by the details of the false report and the impact it had on the criminal justice system.