Did they really need half the LAPD and a helicopter to take Britney to the hospital? How much did that cost Los Angeles, and who pays for all of that?!
—Lyle, Henderson, Kentucky
The B!tch Replies: I don't know what you mean. Whenever I dash out of the château, I always insist upon an LAPD escort of at least one chopper and a few black-and-whites. You mean you don't? Then how do you ensure that your admirers will clear a path for you?
I'm surprised you are able to feed yourself.
Let's take a look at exactly how law enforcement responded when Britney needed an escort to the hospital early Thursday morning and was involuntarily committed for psychiatric treatment, what they call a 5150.
According to E! Online reports, there were at least:
- a dozen LAPD motorcycles and squad cars
- one helicopter
- a special mental heath unit
- and the ambulance
The estimated cost: $25,000, according to the L.A. Times. I interviewed a police spokeswoman about this today, and she acknowledges the response might seem excessive—at first.
But the cops were really worried about safety, see.
"At least 100 people were camped out near the residence," LAPD spokesperson Ana Aguirre tells me. (Another LAPD source told the Times it was closer to 200.) She adds that the department needed to make sure traffic would be clear from Britney's house to the UCLA Medical Center and to also ensure that other people who lived in Spears' gated community would still be able to get in and out the whole time. In fact, the Times reports, some police actually blocked roads so Spears couldn’t be followed.
"Unfortunately, her house has become a kind of tourist spot," Aguirre explains to me. "It's not just paparazzi anymore. People drive by, people who support her, people who are against her."
Another reason for the law enforcement parade: history. The last time Britney had to go to the hospital—on Jan. 3—the scene got pretty nuts.
One photographer even attempted to jump on top of Spears' ambulance, Aguirre tells me. "At that point we were out-resourced," Aguirre explains, and the police didn't want that to happen again.
She may have a point: After Britney's first hospital haul on Jan. 3, another city government source tells me, police and city hall types were abuzz that the paparazzi had endangered the operation.
Still, that is an awful lot of po-lice. And a notable expense for the wee people who must pay for it through taxes.
"It seems like a lot, unless the reporters were armed," quips Gary Blasi, a law professor at UCLA who also studies law-enforcement budgeting. "I don't know what the security situation was, but based on the paparazzi I've seen, usually four police officers with guns will take care of it.
"I wouldn't second-guess the tactical needs of the police, but I hope if any of my friends need emergency transport they can get the same service."
No worries, Gary. You and your peeps can always roll with me.
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