Fact check: San Francisco's CAREN Act will make racist, nonemergency 911 calls illegal
The claim: California lawmakers propose the 'CAREN ACT' to crack down on racist 911 calls.
Racist, nonemergency 911 calls have been a recurring theme in the American race narrative, from "Permit Patty" threatening to call the police on an 8-year-old Black girl selling bottled water to, more recently, Amy Cooper in the infamous Central Park video posted on Twitter.
A San Francisco lawmaker is proposing the CAREN Act make such calls a crime, an Instagram post claims.
"Racist 911 calls are unacceptable that's why I'm introducing the #CARENAct at today’s #SanFrancisco Board of Supervisors meeting. This is the CAREN we need. Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies. #CARENact #sanfrancisco," user freddyo writes.
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Cracking down on racism
San Francisco lawmaker Shamann Walton announced on Twitter on Tuesday his decision to introduce the ordinance. The news was widely shared across social media.
At a board of supervisors meeting, Walton emphasized the history of fraudulent calls being used as means for racist behavior and that these "... fraudulent reports based on the perceived threats of someone's race takes away emergency resources from actual emergencies."
Walton declared the CAREN Act would "make it illegal for people to contact law enforcement solely to discriminate on the basis of a person's race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity." The ordinance will also allow individuals harmed by these calls to sue for damages up to $1,000.
Making false police reports is punishable in California by up to six months in jail, but Walton pointed out "there are currently no consequences by law for people who make fraudulent emergency calls based on race."
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On the legislation's name
The proposal's name appears to mimic the popular "Karen" meme on social media.
"It's usually used as a pejorative for middle-aged white women," said Matt Schimkowitz, a senior editor at Know Your Meme, the online meme encyclopedia, in an interview with Insider. "It's almost like they have an entitlement, where they're kind of lording their privilege over another."
Similar action at the state level
Assemblymember Rob Bonta, who represents California's 18th Assembly District and serves as assistant majority leader, introduced similar legislation at the statehouse last month.
"Racist and discriminatory 911 calls are dangerous, demeaning and demoralizing to the person falsely accused. They further deteriorate community-police relations and contribute to the inaccurate and harmful over-criminalization of black and brown communities," Bonta said in a June 17 press release.
His amendment to AB-1550 will charge those who knowingly make false calls and reports to the police with a hate crime, punishable by felony or misdemeanor. The amendment will also create a legal pathway for victims to file a lawsuit and claim damages.
The bill is in the California State Senate’s Safety Committee.
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Our ruling: True
We rate the claim that California lawmakers are proposing the CAREN Act to make exploitative, racist calls to the police illegal as TRUE because it is supported by our research. The legislation was proposed by San Francisco lawmaker Shamann Walton during a City and County of San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting. Similar legislation was proposed last month at the state level by Assemblymember Rob Bonta through an amendment to AB-1550.
Our fact-check sources:
New York Times, "White Woman Is Fired After Calling Police on Black Man in Central Park."
California Legislative Information, "AB-1550 Discriminatory emergency calls."
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: CAREN Act to make illegal nonemergency, racist 911 calls
