San Francisco Pushes To Sign ‘The Caren Act’ Making It Illegal To ‘Fabricate False Racially Biased Emergency Reports’

Amy Cooper, Christian Cooper

San Francisco Pushes To Sign ‘The Caren Act’ Making It Illegal To ‘Fabricate False Racially Biased Emergency Reports’

Being a “Karen” could become illegal in San Francisco. The term “Karen” was coined after multiple videos went viral of white women calling the police on black people with fabricated accusations. Most recently, Amy Cooper, the woman labeled “Central Park Karen” called the police on Christian Cooper, a black man and the senior biomedical editor at Health Science Communication, New York’s Central Park on May 26th. She called 9-1-1 and told police that he threatened her after he told her she was breaking the rules by having her dog in the park without a leash.

As reported, on Monday (July 6), Manhattan D.A. Cy Vance Jr. announced that a prosecution was in the works against Amy Cooper for “Falsely Reporting an Incident in the Third Degree.”

He added,

“I would like to encourage anyone who has been the target of false reporting to contact our Office. We are strongly committed to holding perpetrators of this conduct accountable.”

Over on the west coast, San Fransisco Supervisor Shamann Walton announced his plans to launch the Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies also known as CAREN Act, which will make it illegal to “fabricate false racially-biased emergency reports.” The bill was introduced on Tuesday  (July 7th)

San Francisco Supervisor Shamann Walton said in a tweet”

“Racist 911 calls are unacceptable that’s why I’m introducing the CAREN Act at today’s SF Board of Supervisors meeting. This is the CAREN we need. Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies. #CARENact #sanfrancisco”

Racist 911 calls are unacceptable that's why I'm introducing the CAREN Act at today’s SF Board of Supervisors meeting. This is the CAREN we need. Caution Against Racially Exploitative Non-Emergencies. #CARENact #sanfrancisco

— Shamann Walton (@shamannwalton) July 7, 2020

The Caren act seeks to hold a person accountable for making exaggerated or untrue 9-1-1 reports.  No update on what the penalty for an untrue report will be as of yet.

New York governor Andrew Cuomo recently signed similar legislation:

“The legislative package outlaws police use of chokeholds, requires all state police officers to wear body cameras, and permits the release of disciplinary records for police officers, firefighters and corrections officers to be released without their written consent.

Another part of the legislation bundle outlaws false race-based 911 calls, a move taken after the highly publicized incident in which a white woman called 911 after a black man, who was birdwatching, requested that she leash her dog.”

Andrew Cuomo previously said that legislation of this sort is long overdue.

“This police reform is long overdue and Mr. Floyd’s murder is just the most recent murder. It’s not just about Mr. Floyd’s murder – it’s about being here before, many, many times before.”

I just signed into law nation-leading legislation that:

-Ends 50-A
-Bans chokeholds
-Prohibits false race-based 911 calls
-Makes Attorney General the independent prosecutor in killings of unarmed civilians by police

There is more to do & NY will lead the way. pic.twitter.com/i4MUKe37IY

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 12, 2020

What are your thoughts on the Caren Act? Let us know in the comments!