OFF-TOPIC Explanation Please!!

[MJ DeMarco]

I try to ignore all the media BS about Britney but today had an opportunity to view this video ...

http://www.tmz.com/tmz_main_video?titleid=1398249502

Its a "motorcade" taking Britney to the hospital.

I counted 12 police units escorting Britney Spears to the hospital. No, not 1, 2, or even 4 ... Freaking 12!!! WTF, is she the president of some country I'm not aware of?

So can someone tell me, when has the city of Los Angeles become CRIME free? Free of rapists, burglars and murderers? When oh when?

The people in the city of Los Angeles should be outraged that their tax dollars is NOT going to protect them and their property, but to cater to the whims of this bi-polar freak show.

I can understand the media hype as I can turn that off --- but when the government (and your tax dollars) are poisoned into this type of lunacy, something needs to be said. I feel sorry for the single mother who is getting her a$$ kicked by her drunk x-husband ... 911 Dispatch: "Don't worry, help will be on the way once 1 of the 12 police officers is finished escorting Britney to the hospital for the Nth time"

 

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[kurtyordy]

maybe they are investigating a panty theif, and logically, they would have to interrogate Britney.

 

[Russ H]

MJ-

Maybe part of the reason Britney is so nutso is the immersion she has w/paparazzi and TV cams. Yeah, she loved it when she was on top of her game.

But now? It's the worst kind of bottom feeding. Reprehensible.

Let me go on record here saying I'm no Britney fan. But I've had a few clients who were always in the spotlight, and it's . . well, it's just not normal. It's scary.

Like many, I hope that Britney can get her sh*t together. And yes, I'm sick to death of the *hours* of media attention this is given every day of the week.

Like it or not, MJ, celebs are given *lots* of police favoritism. Thing is, you don't see 99.9999% of it. They get let out of speeding violations, accidents, etc. Not felony stuff, but misdemeanors.

Is that right? I don't know. It just is.

And I try not to get too upset about it.

Too many other, more important (and life affirming) things going on.

Speaking of which: Hoping you're feeling better!

-Russ H.

 

[carlhuber]

I find it as reprehensible as you, believe me, but I'm sure a large part of the police escort would be to keep the paparazzi at bay and avoid - literally - killing people en route to the hospital. Can you imagine how dangerous those bloodthirsty idiots get if there's a fleet of them in their SUVs chasing a Spears Ambulance with no police escort?

But yes, 12 is pathetic. Two would be appropriate to moderately keep the peace.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Two community service officers would suffice. Not 12, an unmarked surveillence van (trailing) and 2 police helicopters. I feel sorry for the taxpayers of California and/or LA County.

 

[Rawr]

Fame is a worse drug than heroin - Jay-z

 

[bpk1]

^^ Great Quote! Speed ++

 

[carlhuber]

Followup on this, it cost LA (and therefore taxpayers) $25,000 for the motorcade. I'm sure that's the yearly salary of a lot of people out there.

http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_8140596

...it was "a shame" that escorting the pop star diverted scarce police resources from "public safety needs such as violent crime, drunken driving or responding to the ongoing stream of 911 calls."
...
The LAPD said in a statement yesterday that it used "a number of resources" in escorting the ambulance because of "previous, overly aggressive actions of some members of the media, and in particular members of the paparazzi."

 

[Russ H]

Guys, guys . . .

First, why spend time reading all this cr*p?

Second, if I was the LAPD, I'd have done the same thing.

Can you imagine the lawsuits and liability (in the millions) if there was an accident trying to get her to the hospital in a private vehicle or ambulance that was being swarmed by paparazzi?

(the paparazzi would have been suing).

-Russ H.

 

[kimberland]

Was the police escort paid out of tax dollars?
Because often celebrities will hire for protection.

Heck, the hubby and I had police at our wedding
(it was a requirement to hire police after a certain hour).
We had to pay them.
Didn't come out of tax dollars (likely is a cash cow for them).

 

[GettingThere]

The escort could have been paid via personal funds from Spears, but they are also still getting revenue from tax dollars during that time...even though they are 'unavailable' to the general public during that range of time.

 

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[bflbob]

Two community service officers would suffice. Not 12, an unmarked surveillence van (trailing) and 2 police helicopters. I feel sorry for the taxpayers of California and/or LA County.

It pales in comparison to this...

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/05/q-a-todays-giants-ticker-tape-parade/

Q: How many people does it take to clean that paper up?
A: The New York City Department of Sanitation will deploy 317 Sanitation Workers and 38 Sanitation Officers, who will use 126 backpack blowers, 41 hand brooms, 30 mechanical street sweepers, 12 front-end loaders, 12 collection trucks, and 3 water flushers to clean the streets of Lower Manhattan by midnight.

Add to that the cost of security, closing streets, flying in dignatories, presenting keys to the city, etc., and it makes Brittany look like the 99 cent deal at Wendy's.

All because they won one game...albeit a big game. They weren't necessarily the best team...they just won one game. If people feel they deserved this, why didn't they do it when they won their last game?

I know...they brought a lot of business to the city with this. Sales of shirts, meals served, yada-yada. But all the media frenzy around Brittany has to bring in revenues too. All those news crews have to eat, sleep, fuel their vehicles, etc.

I'm not saying that either is right or wrong. I just think that it's odd that the public percieves of one as a waste of money, while the other is looked at as a good use of it. Perception is a funny thing sometimes, isn't it?

 

[AlwaysCurious]

Come on, this kind of mass spectacle is proven to boost economy. Take the soccer world championship 2006 in Germany. Lots of police, lots of street cleaning, lots of trouble. But related business gave an additional 0,2% growth in GDP just in 2006. Unemployment is getting better and there is a positive mid term effect just because of enthusiasm and positive thinking. This is hardly quantifiable but none the less present. I guess NY now gets the same boost as well.

Can´t think of a way how this defense plea could apply to poor Britney, though...

 

[ocean]

As someone who has been involved in the Law Enforcement/Military community, perhaps I can shed some light.

First and foremost:

The police or sheriff's department is a part of the city and takes it's mandate from that governing authority. Cities have asked some strange things of their police departments over the years, and it wouldn't surprise me if that were the case here.

Next, in no particular order:

-Responding to 911 calls isn't the only job in a PD's mandate. They are responsible for the overall public safety of the community. Her antics have proven to create issues of concern to the welfare of the city.

-Someone mentioned revenue for the city? Correct. A city can be very similar to a business, and activities that bring in revenue can be justified. For example, a marathon, or sporting event. Heck, Disneyland has it's own sub-station, the city of Anaheim has many more police than it would if Disneyland wasn't there. Is it worth it to the city? Is it justifiable? Yes and Yes. Is this applicable in the Brittany incident? Possibly on some level.

-Knowing personally, and observing many of the people who work in Law Enforcement, I can say that, like myself, they would have preferred a giant crack to have opened up and swallowed brittany's car into the depths of the earth. But short of that, they have to do their jobs, no matter how idiotic the City Councilman's request might be.

In summary, don't be too quick to point to the average policeman. Look to the upper management of the department, and the city.

 

[Bilgefisher]

MJ, this would go great in todaysgripe :smxB: (Just helpin a fellow fastlaner out)

To be quite honest though, this thread is prime example of why it happened. This forum is filled with very driven and successful folks such as yourself and sadly in one twisted way or another we still get drawn in. We are like bugs to the zapper at times. I swear the Piper could have a field day with most Americans. Because most people blindly watch whats on their TV, these "real life" dramas cause public officials to overreact as well. I'm just as guilty as well. Are we that different from a cat that follows a laser light on the wall.

Sorry, bit of a rant. I do agree its a sad use of tax payers dollars, but so its this stimulus package.