Kin, Cops' Secret 'Drill' Got Brit to Psych Ward

Family arrangements with police to get troubled pop star Britney Spears into UCLA Medical Center for an enforced 72-hour psychiatric evaluation yesterday unfolded with almost military precision, reports the Los Angeles Times. Spears' parents, convinced their daughter is suffering from serious mental health problems, had been talking to LA police officials for days to plan the operation. The final convoy accompanying the pop star to the hospital cost the city $25,000.

Spears' mom first planned to take her daughter to the hospital Wednesday night but scuttled that when paparazzi swarmed Britney's home. Hours later, a block-long string of police cars and a helicopter arrived to safeguard Spears' ambulance trip and hold the press at bay. LA's police chief said it was a "shame" scarce resources had to be diverted to the operation but that the force "had no choice but to ensure that we appropriately dealt with this." (More Britney Spears stories.)