Hunter Storm | A Preemptive Strategy to Stop Swatting

Preventing Swatting Before It Becomes a Crisis

In recent weeks, there has been a noticeable increase in swatting incidents targeting conservative journalists and influencers. This is a dangerous trend, one that puts lives at risk and could easily spiral into a broader crisis if left unchecked. That’s why we need a strategy to stop swatting.

The real danger isn’t just the immediate threat to individuals being targeted. If this pattern continues, it won’t take long before malicious actors start using it as a false flag tactic, setting up retaliatory swattings to further divide the public.

Fortunately, there’s a simple, effective strategy that could stop swatting before it escalates. Law enforcement agencies must implement enhanced verification protocols before deploying SWAT teams to high-risk public figures.

The Problem | Swatting as a Tool for Psychological and Physical Warfare

Swatting, making a false emergency call to trigger a heavily armed police response, has long been used by internet trolls and cybercriminals. But what we’re seeing now is different. A targeted pattern of swattings against conservative political figures is emerging.

The potential for false flag operations is high. Malicious actors could start swatting liberal political figures to create chaos and provoke retaliation. Law enforcement response is by nature reactive, not proactive, making it easy for malicious actors to exploit institutional response times. This is not criticism of law enforcement. Instead, it’s a statement of the reality of time constraints, staffing, and the rise in technology that enables malicious actors to conduct these operations without detection.

Swatting is a form of hybrid warfare. It is weaponizing law enforcement responses to create fear, division, and real-world consequences. The increasing prevalence of these calls is exactly why we must have a strategy to stop swatting.

The Solution | A Nonpartisan Preemptive Strategy for Law Enforcement

To prevent this from escalating into a full-blown crisis, law enforcement agencies, especially SWAT teams and 911 dispatch centers, should immediately implement the following protocols:

Create a Watchlist of High-Risk Targets

Maintain an internal list of public figures at risk of being swatted (journalists, influencers, politicians, business leaders, etc.).
If a call comes in about one of these individuals, apply extra layers of verification before dispatching SWAT.

Implement Two-Step Verification for Swatting Scenarios

Attempt direct contact with the individual before deploying SWAT.
Contact a designated emergency contact (such as a family member or security personnel) to confirm the situation.
Require additional confirmation before engaging in high-risk tactical responses.

Improve Caller Identification and Digital Forensics

Invest in real-time analysis of emergency calls to flag spoofed numbers or high-risk patterns.
Partner with federal cybercrime units to track and analyze swatting attempts at scale.

Public Awareness and Official Statements

Issue public warnings about the rise in swatting attempts and the steps law enforcement is taking to counter them.
Inform influencers and journalists of these risks and provide them with law enforcement contacts for verification.

Monitor for False Flag Operations

Watch for signs of patterned escalation, such as retaliatory swattings that appear politically motivated.
Ensure law enforcement responses remain strictly nonpartisan, preventing bad actors from manipulating narratives.

The Bottom Line

This isn’t just a problem for one side of the political spectrum, it’s a threat to everyone. If law enforcement agencies implement some of these countermeasures, they may be able to prevent swatting from becoming the next manufactured crisis in the news cycle.

Implementing these countermeasures can help prevent chaos and political manipulation. Moreover, it can also help prevent scenarios where law enforcement itself is inadvertently turned into a weapon against the public.

The solution is simple: Verify first, deploy second.

Call to Action | Implement a Strategy to Stop Swatting

If you work in law enforcement, cybercrime, or public safety, push for these measures before we see a major tragedy unfold.

If you’re an influencer, journalist, or public figure, talk to your local police department now to ensure they have protocols in place.

And if you’re watching this play out from the sidelines, pay attention. What happens next will depend on how quickly these measures are adopted.

Tactical Two-Step Verification for Swatting Calls

Dispatch Level | Preliminary Threat Validation

Before SWAT is deployed, 911 dispatch should apply enhanced threat validation using:

ANI/ALI Data (Automatic Number Identification / Automatic Location Identification)

Verify if the caller’s number and location match the emergency claim If the call is from a VOIP service, VPN, or masked number, flag for high suspicion If possible, trace previous calls from the same number/IP to check for past false reports Reverse Callback to the Caller
Call the number back and ask for additional details If the call drops or they refuse, flag for secondary verification Query Known Threat Databases
Check local police records for past incidents at the given address If the location has been swatted before, immediate supervisory review required If the call is high-risk but suspicious, dispatch notifies a supervisor and moves to Step 2 instead of sending SWAT immediately.

Field Level | Officer Confirmation Before SWAT Deployment

Once the call passes initial validation, responding officers use two rapid confirmation steps before escalating to SWAT entry.

Direct Contact Attempt with the Resident

Dispatch attempts to call or text the resident (if they have prior records or public contact information).
If available, use a known emergency contact (family member, security team, building manager, etc.).

Visual Recon and Tactical Pause

Instead of immediate forced entry, first establish visual confirmation:

Check for signs of distress from outside
Use vehicle loudspeakers or drones for communication if necessary
If no immediate threat is visible, attempt non-forceful communication first
If there are clear indicators of a real emergency (visible gunmen, screams, smoke/fire, shots fired), they proceed with immediate intervention. But if no clear threat is observed, the operation pauses for further confirmation.

Additional Support Measures

Pre-Registered Emergency Contacts for High-Risk Individuals
Influencers, journalists, and politicians should be allowed to register an emergency contact with local police (family, manager, security team)
If swatting occurs, dispatch calls the contact for confirmation before deployment Real-Time Cybercrime Support for Dispatch
Implement fast-tracked digital forensics when a swatting call is suspected Partner with FBI cybercrime units for real-time traceback of spoofed calls
Use AI flagging in dispatch centers to recognize common swatting patterns If a call matches known swatting tactics, it gets flagged for extra verification

Why This Works

Maintains Fast Response – No delays if a real emergency is confirmed
Prevents False Flag Attacks – Stops the cycle before retaliation escalates
Uses Existing Systems – No need for major new infrastructure, just procedural updates

This approach buys officers a few extra seconds to make the right call without putting lives at risk.

Discover More from Hunter Storm

About the Author | Hunter Storm | Technology Executive | Global Thought Leader | Keynote Speaker

CISO | Advisory Board Member | SOC Black Ops Team | Systems Architect | Strategic Policy Advisor | Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Quantum Innovator | Cyber-Physical-Psychological Hybrid Threat Expert | Ultimate Asymmetric Advantage

Background

Hunter Storm is a veteran Fortune 100 Chief Information Security Officer (CISO); Advisory Board Member; Security Operations Center (SOC) Black Ops Team Member; Systems Architect; Risk Assessor; Strategic Policy and Intelligence Advisor; Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Quantum Innovator, and Cyber-Physical-Psychological (Cyber-Phys-Psy) Hybrid Threat Expert; and Keynote Speaker with deep expertise in AI, cybersecurity, and quantum technologies.

Drawing on decades of experience in global Fortune 100 enterprises, including Wells Fargo, Charles Schwab, and American Express; aerospace and high-tech manufacturing leaders such as Alcoa and Special Devices (SDI) / Daicel Safety Systems (DSS); and leading technology services firms such as CompuCom, she guides organizations through complex technical, strategic, and operational challenges.

Hunter Storm combines technical mastery with real-world operational resilience in high-stakes environments.

Global Expert and Subject Matter Expert (SME) | AI, Cybersecurity, Quantum, and Strategic Intelligence

A recognized subject matter expert (SME) with top-tier expert networks including GLG (Top 1%), AlphaSights, and Third Bridge, Hunter Storm advises Board Members, CEOs, CTOs, CISOs, Founders, and Senior Executives across technology, finance, and consulting sectors. Her insights have shaped policy, strategy, and high-risk decision-making at the intersection of AI, cybersecurity, quantum technology, and human-technical threat surfaces.

Projects | Research and Development (R&D) | Frameworks

Hunter Storm is the creator of The Storm Project: AI, Cybersecurity, Quantum, and the Future of Intelligence, the largest AI research initiative in history.

She is the originator of the Hacking Humans: Ports and Services Model of Social Engineering, a foundational framework in psychological operations (PsyOps) and biohacking, adopted by governments, enterprises, and global security communities.

Hunter Storm also pioneered the first global forensic mapping of digital repression architecture, suppression, and censorship through her project Discrimination by Design: First Global Forensic Mapping of Digital Repression Architecture, monitoring platform accountability and digital suppression worldwide.

Achievements and Awards

Hunter Storm is a Mensa member and recipient of the Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award, reflecting her enduring influence on AI, cybersecurity, quantum, technology, strategy, and global security.

Hunter Storm | The Ultimate Asymmetric Advantage

Hunter Storm is known for solving problems most won’t touch. She combines technical mastery, operational agility, and strategic foresight to protect critical assets and shape the future at the intersection of technology, strategy, and high-risk decision-making.

Hunter Storm reframes human-technical threat surfaces to expose vulnerabilities others miss, delivering the ultimate asymmetric advantage.

Discover Hunter Storm’s full About the Author biography and career highlights.

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Swatting as a Weapon | A Preemptive Strategy to Stop Escalation