Police Introduce New Anti-Swatting Initiative

With the rising popularity of the 'prank' (stupidity) known as swatting, and even an instance [...]

By Liana 'LiLi' Ruppert

With the rising popularity of the "prank" (stupidity) known as swatting, and even an instance where it turned deadly, the law is beginning to take notice and action is beginning to take place.

The Seattle Police Department is taking their anti-swatting stance very seriously and have begun to implement preventative measures against this harmful "prank.

According to the an official press statement by the Seattle Police Department, "[Swatting] is a deliberate and malicious act that creates an environment of fear and unnecessary risk, and in some cases, has led to loss of life."

They added, "The Seattle Police Department has received requests to create a registry where residents concerned about swatting can communicate those concerns to their local 911 Center. Our challenge was to move forward and implement an improved business process while protecting the privacy of the community we serve. To our knowledge, no solution to this problem existed, so we engineered one: enter SMART 911 and Rave Mobile Safety. If you live in Seattle, you may already use SMART 911 to improve the quality of public safety responses to your residence."

SMART 911 provides the opportunity to create a web based profile tailored specifically to the needs of your household. For instance, someone who is deaf or hard of hearing, or who has a medical condition or allergy, could enter this information on a SMART 911 profile page. First responders would have real time access to your specific needs before they even knock on your door."

But the Police Department recognizes that this isn't a failsafe, but that's where "Rave Facility" comes into play. Rave Facility was designed to counter SMART 911 for commercial reasons.

"For the purpose of registering swatting concerns, it works. Here's how. A 911 call taker receives a report of a critical incident. While ensuring first responders are dispatched to that call for service as quickly as possible, the call taker will simultaneously check for whether or not swatting concerns have been registered at that address. If swatting concerns have been registered, this information will be shared with responding officers, who will still proceed to the call. If no location profile exists, officers will still continue to the call. Nothing about this solution is designed to minimize or slow emergency services. At the same time, if information is available, it is more useful for responding officers to have it than to not."

Interested in learning more or how to create a Rave Profile? You can see the full press statement from the Police Department right here with how to move forward.

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