A Computer Generated Swatting Service Is Causing Havoc Across America

[kvdveer]

Is swatting a thing outside of the US? I've never heard of it happening here in the Netherlands.

It seems to me that the concept of swatting requires a not-to-competent shoot-first-ask-questions-later police force. If the US police force uniquely has these qualities, it seems prudent to reorganise it.

[t-3]

> If the US police force uniquely has these qualities, it seems prudent to reorganise it.

Part of the problem is that there is no "US police force" to overhaul. There are federal police (FBI, DEA, ATF, ICE, TSA, etc), state police, county police, local police, sheriffs, military police, special task forces and more. Reforming any one group is a big job, reforming the whole system is borderline impossible without a revolution or something.

[sorokod]

Leveraging heavy handed government response by providing false information has a long history.

[chme]

It happened in Germany: https://www.vice.com/de/article/9aqy9y/erstes-deutsches-swat...

But much more prevalent are 'legal' search and seizure actions against political opponents and activists.

[Dma54rhs]

It does happen outside as well.

It also requires good chances the person accused is armed, it's the two sides of the equation that makes it happen more often badly in America.

[wkat4242]

It doesn't. The Dutch "Dienst Speciale Interventies" as the SWAT team is called aren't trigger-happy cowboys that jump into the first call they get. They're only used against identified criminals that are known to be armed and dangerous. Common sense is still a thing in the Netherlands. :) They're often trained in the US though.

They'll just send it out a pair of cops to check out the situation with care.

[echelon]

US police can and are frequently shot and killed. US citizens can legally carry guns. That's the difference.

US policing is different because the risks are different.

Moreover, if there's a report of a hostage situation or gun violence, there is a chance that the situation is real and unfolding live.

These are two very different lists:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_law_enforcement_office...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_British_police_officer...

Keep in mind this doesn't include non-fatal injuries.

[airza]

The best way i can explain it is if the handhaving was a step stupider and had free access to military assault gear. :/

[aww_dang]

Tangentially related:

https://www.volkskrant.nl/kijkverder/v/2023/how-a-volkskrant...

[mayama]

Can't they just trace back the phone caller id, and file charges for bogus calls? It's not clear in the article, is it spoofed or overseas numbers making the calls? Would 911 service prioritise calls without verified caller id to the level of sending armed swat teams?

[c3534l]

Caller ID is an optional feature and currently phone calls can be made while spoofing the source. This is why people get so many scam calls. As I understand it, the industry is still in the process of adopting changes that will prevent this.

[Animats]

Between STIR/SHAKEN and NSA, this guy hasn't been found yet?

[acd]

Phones needs to automatically send true identity of caller when calling emergency services.

Ie your sim/e-sim needs to act as certificate. Certificate is presented to 911.

Same when calling bank etc.

[wkat4242]

This helps how? Just stick in a prepay sim

[ashwagary]

Could this abuse inadvertantly lead to some level of police reform that requires officers to use more critical thought when responding to potential emergencies?

Over the years there were famous cases of overzealous police officers immediately killing unarmed elderly people, disabled people, and children upon arrival at scenes of 911 calls. There may be a silver lining here.

[freitzkriesler2]

This is turning into a case of "cry wolf". But most if not all criminals and terrorists aren't going to admit they committed or are planning a mass crime over 911.

If someone calls in claiming they committed some sort of mass terroristic act, then maybe cops should be a bit more prudent thinking, "hmm why would someone admit to this?"

Maybe show up and check without guns blazing for a start.

Cop unions will say "But being a cop is dangerous unless we go in guns blazing."

That's the job, don't like it? Go into construction.

[rysertio]

There's detectors for computer generated voices. But it'll make it hard for hearing or speech impaired people to make emergency calls.

[helsinki]

Separating deaf and dumb with only a ‘/‘ is pretty fucking offensive.

[geraneum]

If only there was a way to follow the money, oh wait…!

[sorokod]

In some future, completing a CAPTCHA, will be a prerequisite for contacting public services.

[xvilka]

By that time solving captcha would be a bigger problem for people rather than computer. Especially in a situation of distress.

[seanhunter]

Right, because in a real time-critical emergency people really want to be doing "find all the squares that include a traffic light" in a bunch of fuzzy pictures.