Abbeville Police Chief Tony Hardy has been a police officer for more than 20 years and he has seen a lot. Now he is seeing something he would have never dreamed about even 10 years ago.

The Abbeville Police Department has been getting a handful of complaints from citizens who are receiving text threats from friends and family members. When they get a threat or a disturbing text, some call the Abbeville Police Department or other law enforcement agents in the parish.

“When I first started, officers would handle calls for fights and disturbance calls,” said Chief Hardy. “Now we are getting calls because someone is upset over a text someone sent them.”

When they call the police to complain about the text, they want the person arrested. But it is not that easy.

When a complaint comes in, a police officer is dispatched to the call where the information is taken, like what is said in the text is written down by the officer. The phone number where the text is sent from is also written down. The person who owns the phone who may have sent the text is contacted by the police.

Where the problem comes in is that the police have a tough time trying to prove who sent the text. If the person who owns the phone admits to the text, then the police can arrest him or her for phone harassment charge.

“Proving who sent the text is the problem,” the chief said. “Yeah, it is your phone, but someone could pickup your phone and send that text. The person who filed the complaint has to prove you sent the text.”