Swatting has evolved from a digital prank into a versatile weapon used for profit, ideological intimidation and even geopolitical disruption. This crime involves threat actors making fraudulent emergency calls to trigger a heavily armed police response to an unsuspecting victim. To ensure public safety communications officials have the most current information and best practices, APCO International and the Public Safety Threat Alliance (PSTA) need your help.
We have partnered to launch a crucial joint survey to gather fresh insights into how swatting affects Emergency Communications Centers (ECCs) and how these calls are handled. Your agency’s input is vital, as the data collected will inform APCO International’s future anti-swatting efforts.
We encourage every agency to participate! Please complete the survey and share your experience; responses will be accepted until January 30, 2026.
Your survey responses will directly inform a joint APCO/PSTA report releasing ahead of the APCO 2026 conference. Crucially, these insights will also shape future APCO training and inform best practices for ECC Swatting SOPs, ensuring your agency is prepared for these evolving threats.
Forge alliances: join the PSTA
The escalating threat of swatting, which targets mission-critical systems, demands collective defense. The Public Safety Threat Alliance (PSTA) is an information-sharing and analysis organization (ISAO) that actively monitors and evaluates threats to public safety.
By joining the PSTA at no cost, public safety organizations gain vital resources to combat swatting and other cyber threats. PSTA membership provides 24/7 access to public safety-focused threat intelligence products, which include detailed reports on cybercriminals and their tactics. Furthermore, through anonymized member reporting and collaboration, the PSTA helps agencies identify patterns such as standard phone numbers, tactics, language and targeted location types used in swatting attacks, thereby alerting public safety telecommunicators to evolving threats.
