Supporting Document (a4e09454...)

CjTY^NCIl
REPORT
Item 6
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mm.m
Meeting Date:
General Plan Element: 
Geineral Plan Goal:
ACTION
July 2, 2026 
Public Services & Facilities
Provide a safe environment for all citizens, visitors and private 
interests
Adopt Ordinance No. 4704, adding Sections 19-38 through 19-44 and Article IV to the 
Scottsdale Revised Code concerning misuse of 911 and emergency services.
BACKGROUND , 
Proposed Ordinance No. 4704 creates a new ordinance prohibiting the misuse of 911.
The City receives a substantial volume of 911 calls that do not involve crimes or emergencies. 
These calls tie up dispatchers, delay responses to genuine emergencies, and divert police and 
fire resources.
The Police and Fire Departments have expressed concern about the growing number of 
nuisance or non-emergency calls, including repeat callers who tie up emergency lines.
The Council Committee on Community Safety reviewed the proposed ordinance on May 13, 
2026. Based on the Committee's input, staff updated the draft to incorporate the Committee's 
comments, including additional clarity on medical and animal-related emergencies. The 
Committee voted in support of the proposed ordinance.
ANALYSIS & ASSESSMENT
Ordinance No. 4704 proposes creating a new ordinance prohibiting the misuse of 911. The 
purpose of this ordinance is to ensure the proper use of the 911 emergency communications 
system, preserve public safety resources, and deter intentional misuse that diverts emergency 
services from genuine emergencies.
The key elements of the ordinance establish that the 911 system must be used solely for 
reporting crimes and emergencies, defines essential terms such as "911 system," "emergency,” 
and "crime,” make it a Class 1 misdemeanor to intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly contact 
911 for non-emergency purposes, authorize courts to order reimbursement of emergency
Action Taken _
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City Council Report | Ordinance No. 4704
response costs when misuse is intentional, and provide an affirmative defense for callers who 
had a reasonable, good-faith factual basis to believe an emergency existed.
Under the proposed ordinance, emergencies include, but are not limited to, fires, life- 
threatening situations, accidents, gas leaks, hazardous material incidents, medical calls and 
events, deceased persons, hazardous vehicles, suicide attempts, animals in danger or posing a 
danger, and missing persons. "Emergency" does not include any of the following, unless the 
caller has a good faith, reasonable factual basis to believe an emergency exists: non-hazardous 
nuisance issues, requests for general police or fire department information, requests for 
directions, calls made to complain about city services, utilities, or code enforcement matters, or 
any other issue that does not present an imminent threat to life, safety, property, or public 
order.
Under the proposed ordinance, crime includes, but is not limited to, crimes in progress, a crime 
that has already occurred, reckless driving, or any other moving traffic violation.
The City Attorney's Office, Police, and Fire Departments support the proposed ordinance.
RESOURCE IMPACTS
None. Existing staff will enforce the new ordinance. The ability to recover emergency 
response expenses may offset resource impacts in cases of intentional misuse.
OPTIONS & STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Approach: Adopt Ordinance No. 4704, adding Sections 19-38 through 19-44 
and Article IV to the Scottsdale Revised Code concerning misuse of 911 and emergency 
services.
RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT(S)
City Attorney, Police Department, Fire Department
STAFF CONTACTS (S)
Luis Santaella, City Attorney, lsantaella(S)scottsdaleaz.gov 
Joseph LeDuc, Chief of Police, ileduc(5)scottsdaleaz.gov 
Tom Shannon, Fire Chief, tshannon(a)scottsdaleaz.gov
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City Council Report | Ordinance No. 4704
APPROVED BY
To/nSkanAOK
Tom Shannon, Fire Chief
(480) 312-1821, tshannon@scottsdaleaz.gov
Joseph, LeDuc Chief of Police
(480) 312-1900, jleduc@scottsdaleaz.gov
Luis E. Santaella, City Attorney
(480) 312-2405, lsantaella@scottsdaleaz.gov
6/15/26
Date
6/15/26
Date
6/15/26
Date
ATTACHMENTS
1. Ordinance No. 4704
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ORDINANCE NO. 4704
AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SCOTTSDALE. 
MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA, ADDING SECTIONS 19-38 THROUGH 
19-44 AND ARTICLE IV TO THE SCOTTSDALE REVISED CODE 
CONCERNING MISUSE OF 911 AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the City of Scottsdale as follows:
Section 1. Sections 19-38 through 19-44 of the Scottsdale Revised Code are added 
as follows;
Sec. 19-38-19-39. Reserved.
ARTICLE IV. CONCERNING MISUSE OF 911 AND EMERGENCY SERVICES 
Sec. 19-40. Purpose.
The purpose of this ordinance is to ensure the proper use of the 911 emergency 
communications system, presen/e public safety resources, and deter intentional misuse 
that diverts emergency services from genuine emergencies.
Sec. 19-41. Definitions.
(A) For purposes of this article:
{^) 911 system means a public safety answering point or communications center 
operated by a police or fire department that is capable of receiving 911 calls or texts.
(2) Emergency includes, but is not limited to, fires, life-threatening situations, accidents, 
gas leaks, hazardous material incidents, medical calls and events, deceased persons, 
hazardous vehicles, suicide attempts, animals in danger or posing a danger, and 
missing persons. “Emergency” does not include any of the following, unless the caller 
has a good faith, reasonable factual basis to believe an emergency exists: non- 
hazardous nuisance issues, requests for general police or fire department information, 
requests for directions, calls made to complain about city services, utilities, or code 
enforcement matters, or any other issue that does not present an imminent threat to life, 
safety, property, or public order.
(3) Crime includes, but is not limited to, any crime in progress, a crime that has already 
occurred, reckless driving, or any other moving traffic violation.
19236788
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Ordinance No. 4704 
Attachment #1

Sec. 19-42. Unlawful Use of the 911 System.
(A) The 911 system shall be used solely to report crimes and emergencies.
(B) It is a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly 
call, text, or otherwise communicate with the 911 system for any purpose other than to 
report a crime or an emergency.
Sec. 19 43 Recovery of Emergency Response Expenses.
(A) In addition to any other penalty authorized by law, the court may order, upon a 
finding of intentional misuse of the 911 system, that a person convicted of violating this 
article pay the expenses of the emergency response resulting from the violation.
(B) Expenses of an emergency response means the reasonable costs directly incurred 
by public agencies in making an appropriate emergency response to an incident.
(C) Reasonable costs include, but are not limited to: The costs of providing police, 
firefighting, rescue, and emergency medical services at the scene; the salaries and 
benefits of the personnel who respond to the incident; equipment, materials, and 
supplies used during the response; and any other directly related, actual costs incurred 
in the course of the response.
Sec 19-44. Affirmative Defense.
It is an affirmative defense that the person had a good-faith, reasonable factual basis for 
making a call, text, or other communication to the 911 system.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Council of the City of Scottsdale this day of 
________________2026.
CITY OF SCOTTSDALE, an Arizona 
municipal corporation
ATTEST:
Ben Lane, City Clerk
Lisa Borowsky, Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
LiJis E. Santaella, City Attorney 
19236788
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Ordinance No. 4704