In the News

LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS: Proposal to fight 'swatting', hoaxes called to homes of Justin Bieber, Ashton Kutcher, others

April 10, 2013

By Rick Orlov

A Los Angeles councilman called Tuesday for new efforts to crack down on "swatting" hoaxes in which a massive police response is called in to a celebrity home as a prank.

In the past year, SWAT teams have responded to fake emergency calls at the homes of Justin Bieber, Russell Brand, P. Diddy, Ashton Kutcher, Miley Cyrus, Kanye West and Justin Timberlake, among others.

Councilman Paul Koretz is asking the Los Angeles Police Department to report on the number of cases and offer suggestions on what can be done to deal with it.

Related Stories: 
Plan to crack down on ‘swatting’, or false 911 calls passes first policy hearing

LA WEEKLY: Swatting Celebrities Could Cost Pranksters $10,000 Under Proposed Law

April 10, 2013

By Dennis Romero

Swatting has hit the homes of Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Ashton Kutcher, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs and others. And, while it probably is pretty funny to the braces-wearing little buttheads who dial 911 with app-enabled masked numbers to report that their favorite celeb is being kidnapped, it does end up costing taxpayers thousands of dollars for LAPD cops, Beverly Hills police and L.A. sheriff's deputies to swarm these mansions.

Related Stories: 
Plan to crack down on ‘swatting’, or false 911 calls passes first policy hearing

REUTERS: California bill would punish pranksters for celebrity "swatting"

April 09, 2013

By Sharon Bernstein

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pranksters who make fake emergency calls drawing police to the homes of celebrities and other targets would face increased penalties under a bill that moved forward in the California legislature on Tuesday.

Related Stories: 
Plan to crack down on ‘swatting’, or false 911 calls passes first policy hearing

ABC NEWS: Anti-’Swatting’ Bill Moves Forward in California Legislature

April 09, 2013

By Maria Nikias

LOS ANGELES — California lawmakers are moving to make perpetrators of “swatting” pay more for their crime, advancing a bill that would make those found guilty pay back police for the cost of responding to the fake 911 call.

The bill, put forward by state Sen. Ted Lieu, was approved today by the state Senate Public Safety Committee and could reach the Senate floor by June.

Related Stories: 
Plan to crack down on ‘swatting’, or false 911 calls passes first policy hearing

KABC TV LOS ANGELES: State, local officials make new push to end 'swatting'

April 09, 2013

By Christina Salvo

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- There's a new push at state and local levels to crack down on the practice of swatting, in which a fake emergency is reported, typically at the home of a celebrity.

 

Related Stories: 
Bill to crack down on ‘swatting’, or false 911 calls to receive its first policy hearing Tuesday, April 9

LOS ANGELES TIMES: Even after melanoma, some people keep on using tanning beds

April 08, 2013
By Karen Kaplan
April 8, 2013, 10:55 a.m.
You would think that people who were diagnosed with melanoma -- the most deadly form of skin cancer -- would be meticulously careful about using sunscreen, avoiding tanning salons and generally protecting their skin.
 
You would be wrong, researchers said Monday.
 
Melanoma tumors develop in the skin cells that make melanin, the brown pigment that protects skin from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Related Stories: 
Gov. Brown signs Sen. Ted Lieu bill banning teens under 18 from using cancer-causing tanning beds

THE DAILY TITAN: Fooling police puts all in danger

April 08, 2013

By Kristin Wiseman

As a child, prank-phone calling was a rite of passage. It was meant to impress friends of how “cool” you were, but it has now grown into something that can cost people their lives.

Related Stories: 
Plan to crack down on ‘swatting’, or false 911 calls passes first policy hearing