Advances in technology allow prank callers to mask their voice, phone number or IP address, or make their false 911 calls sound more credible.
Author Patrick Tomlinson and his wife, business owner Niki Robinson, have been “swatted” at their home in Milwaukee more than 40 times, often resulting in police pointing guns at their heads. Their tormentors have also called in false bomb threats to venues using their names in three states. Yet law enforcement hasn’t been able to stop the prank calls.
The couple’s terror comes as these incidents appear to be on the rise in the U.S., at least on college campuses. In less than a single week in April, universities including Clemson, Florida, Boston, Harvard, Cornell, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Oklahoma, as well as Middlebury College, were targeted by swatters.
To combat the growing problem, the FBI has begun taking formal measures to get a comprehensive picture of the problem on a national level.
SWAT teams are typically not the first responders for protests. Their role in civil disturbances generally involves extreme situations like riots or instances where there are direct, credible threats to life. Still, I agree it’s vital to ensure that law enforcement respects people’s right to protest.
High-risk warrants often involve dangerous crimes or situations like armed suspects, drug trafficking, or violent crime suspects where there’s a high probability of violence. But the system is imperfect, and mistakes can and do happen, sometimes with tragic consequences.
IACP conducted two studies—one on police use of force and another on SWAT activities—to provide accurate data and insights on these aspects of law enforcement, aiming to inform the field, public, and media about the true nature of these practices.
I totally agree we should strive to address social conditions that lead to crime. But we do not live in an ideal society; there will still be instances of violence, harm, or crisis where a specialized response is necessary, whether we call it “police” or not.
I can tell we have some starkly different views on governance, and that’s okay. Not trying to spar here endlessly. Just remember, a world with zero law enforcement might not be as idyllic as it sounds. It’s clear you envision a utopia and your perspective is valid. However, it’s crucial not to let the perfect become the enemy of the good. Improving our systems should be our focus, even if they can’t instantly reach perfection. Keep pushing for a better world, but let’s also strive for achievable progress.
This is begging the question of these “suspects” needing arrest at all. A person being armed—by itself—is not a crime. Using, possessing, selling, and manufacturing drugs should not be. How much of this “high probability of violence” directly stems from people with guns coming to kidnap them? (Yeah, I’m a prison abolitionist, too.)
I see nothing in the quote which addresses their role in society being crucial.
Yes, and I am willing to admit in addition to some of my thoughts needing polish, I hold certain views (I have not yet shared with you) which are flagrantly contradictory. I still am confident the end goal of the pursuit of justice will lead to a world that does not have slave patrols. I view a desire to preserve such a system of domination to be a moral failing.
Police kill more Americans than active shooters do and should be disestablished for that reason alone. 1/3rd of all homicides are by police. Homicide by police is the largest single category of homicide. Yet, police have only 2% of all the firearms in this country. To me, those statistics are staggering. We have actually, by several objective metrics, reached the point where police commit more crimes than the “criminals” do. American society is just experiencing whiplash catching up to the numbers because many of us don’t want them to be true. Which is understandable, we have put a huge amount of collective trust in these institutions and it sucks to be betrayed.
Defunding the police isn’t about idyllic utopias, it’s about stopping the ongoing racialized mass-murder that doesn’t actually protect anyone’s community. Where I live, the police are a bigger social problem than any gang or mafia.
Defund, disarm, disband.
I’m curious – have you ever worked in emergency services? I have, for many years, and I’ve heard takes like yours far more times than I can recount. They often come from those who haven’t worked to improve their community hands-on.
When you or a loved one get shot or maimed and no one cares enough to help, take comfort in knowing that EMS isn’t coming.
Don’t believe me? No one is going to risk their life for you. No one cares about you. People are selfish, and no amount of idealism and wishful thinking will ever change that.