Stephen Collins -- Cops Swarm Home After Suicide Report ... False Alarm

Stephen Collins' house has been swarmed by LAPD officers after someone in the news media claimed to have heard a shot ... but TMZ has learned the actor is not at home and he's fine.

Reporters staked out Collins' San Fernando Valley home Tuesday night ... in the wake of TMZ's story about Collins confessing to molesting and/or exposing himself to young children.

One of Collins' neighbors -- actress Donna D'Errico -- tweeted a photo showing at least 6 LAPD units and wrote that the actor shot himself.