Sure, you can spoof your number, but can you answer a call back on the spoofed number? Can the spoofed number have an address associated with it?
"Hey buddy, we see you're calling from a landline about 50 miles away from the address you're reporting. Want to explain that?" It's that simple.
Mobile phones have Geo911 for triangulation. If they're calling and it's not even near the area, that's pretty suspect to me.
From my reading he didn't call 911, he called a city council number then police called him back.