In Montgomery, Alabama, the Prattville Police Department apprehended and accused a law enforcement officer of filing numerous false reports regarding an incident.
Christopher Eugene Sanspree Jr., 23, from Montgomery, has been identified as the suspect by Prattville Police Chief Mark Thompson. Sanspree is alleged to have made a minimum of six calls to the Prattville police over a span of three months.
During the incidents, Sanspree, who works for the Montgomery Police Department, was on duty, according to Thompson. He was apprehended in Montgomery and then taken to Autauga County on February 7th. However, he was later released on bond.
WSFA 12 News contacted the Montgomery Police Department to inquire about any potential disciplinary actions and Sanspree’s current employment status. According to Capt. Raymond Carson from MPD’s Office of Professional Standards, Sanspree has been with the department for 28 months. He was on patrol duty when he was arrested and is currently on “administrative assignment.”
According to Thompson, the incidents of false emergency calls, commonly known as “swatting,” began on October 30 and persisted until late December. He explained that while evidence links Sanspree to the false calls within his jurisdiction, the investigation may have broader implications beyond Alabama. Thompson revealed that his department is collaborating with law enforcement agencies in Georgia, Wyoming, and Massachusetts to establish potential connections between swatting incidents in those areas.
Thompson stated that the motive behind Sanspree’s swatting calls remained unclear after his arrest. However, Sanspree mentioned in one statement that he found it amusing.
Thompson expressed his strong reaction to the news of an on-duty officer allegedly committing these crimes and finding it amusing. He was straightforward in stating, “To be honest, it really made me angry.”
“We already have enough to handle with the reputation of police officers, and now we have someone pulling a stunt like this while on duty,” Thompson expressed. “It’s highly frustrating for me and other law enforcement chiefs who are working hard to maintain the integrity of the profession. Actions like these tarnish the honorable image of law enforcement.”
Thompson emphasized the gravity of these incidents, highlighting the potential danger they pose. He pointed out that there have been cases where these false calls were actually ambushes. When responding to such calls, the police never know what they will encounter, and in this case, the fact that the perpetrator was a police officer only adds to the concern.
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