With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Britney Spears' $25,000 6-Mile LAPD Escort
()
The paparazzi's extreme Britney coverage is costly to taxpayers | Photo by pointnshoot via Flickr
It took the LAPD nearly "two dozen police officers, a helicopter and a special team" to block roads and escort Britney Spears in an ambulance with covered windows from her Mulholland Drive Studio City Home to UCLA Medical Center early yesterday morning. They even had a code name, The Package, for her so paparazzi listening to police scanners would not pick up on it.
The plan, developed Monday, to involuntary hospitalize Spears for mental illness was supposed to be executed Wednesday evening. Word got out and paparazzi and news media swarmed the gates outside the pop star's gated community near Coldwater Canyon and Mulholland Dr. Police waited until early Thursday morning to execute the plan when the crowd's size decreased.
Support for LAist comes from
Representatives of the pop star told Los Angeles Police Department officials they believed Spears needed a psychiatric evaluation because of continuing erratic behavior. After extensive discussions about alternatives, the LAPD mapped a strategy for getting her to UCLA Medical Center amid an anticipated swarm of paparazzi. [...]
Spears' hospitalization came under Section 5150 of California's Welfare and Institutions Code, which greatly restricts the ability of government officials to hospitalize people against their wills, but allows a person to be held for 72 hours. If Spears won't consent to additional treatment, authorities can petition to have her held an additional 14 days. [LA Times]
Former LAPD Officer and now City Councilmember representing the West Valley, Dennis Zine plans to put forth a motion today at 10:00 a.m. calling for stricter restrictions on paparazzi.
Paparazzi are becoming increasingly aggressive in their tactics, posing a clear danger not only to the people they are trying to photograph, but to the general public around them. Reckless driving is already illegal, but laws must be consistently applied to paparazzi in vehicles and on foot, so there is a clear message that the law applies to everyone. The City respects the press' First Amendment freedoms, but public safety must be paramount. The motion will call for stricter regulations of paparazzi, including a minimum "personal safety zone" of several feet of clear space between paparazzi and the individuals they are photographing, including their vehicles. Vehicles must be given more space as required for safe movement. [via Press Release]
Whether or not the motion carries and becomes city law, popular spots for celebrities in other cities such as West Hollywood and Beverly Hills will have to enact their own laws if they feel the same.
For more information on the LAPD's Mental Evaluation Unit (MEU), the Daily News takes an in-depth look into what the 47 officers in the unit deal with, whether it be Britney Spears or regular joes.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead. -
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades. -
More than half of sales through September have been to corporate developers. Grassroots community efforts continue to work to combat the trend.
Best of LAist