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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

Idaho Blogger Gets SWATted

SWATting? What the heck is that? Star, Idaho, resident David Fix knows. He has had an up close and personal view of it and he did not enjoy the experience. The term is a not-so-veiled reference to the actions of police SWAT teams, which descend in force to a perceived problem that may require an overpowering police presence. SWATting, with the first reported case coming in 2002, is a growing problem both for law enforcement and for high-profile individuals whose online activism are garnering a type of attention they never anticipated. SWATting occurs when someone—usually anonymously or using a fake identity—calls in a false report to local law enforcement that a serious crime has been committed or is currently being committed. The caller is usually unknown and cannot be traced/Parrish Miller, Idaho Reporter. More here.

DFO: Oh-oh.

Question: Are you worthy of a SWATting?



D.F. Oliveria
D.F. (Dave) Oliveria joined The Spokesman-Review in 1984. He currently is a columnist and compiles the Huckleberries Online blog and writes about North Idaho in his Huckleberries column.

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