YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN AT HOME...

William Bratton, the Chief of Police in Los Angeles has decided to shoot his mouth off about the plight of celebrities, proving that his department has learned little or nothing about gauging public opinion since the Rodney King affair.

Bratton was speaking out after it was announced that there may be a new law to curb the excesses of the paparazzi in hounding stars until they either snap mentally or move to another city.

Most people seem to think that it might be a fairly good idea to restrict the actions of these jackals with lens caps, but not Mr Bratton who chose to shout his ill-informed opinions out to the masses (via the press, naturally).

"What we need is Britney Spears to stay home instead of traipsing all over town. That would solve the problem. We don't need additional laws.... I've got laws coming out my ears to deal with this issue.

"What you have is several young women in this town and several young men basically making fools of themselves and tying up not only my resources but the resources of the media that would do better covering legitimate stories instead of a bunch of airheads running around out there.

"Quite clearly some of these characters so favored by the paparazzi are clearly in need of services. Not police services, but psychiatric services."

So it'll all be fine if Britney just stays at home and imprisons herself for the sake of the public good. How reasonable. Yes, that'll make the paparazzi go away and cover stories about cats in trees instead, won't it? Nice to know there's a safe pair of hands on the tiller of one of the largest (and most ridiculed) police forces in America.

In other Britney news, she was allowed to see her children over the weekend on the condition that her father Jamie and a psychiatrist were present. Britney spent three hours with Jayden James and Sean Preston at her home before they were returned to K-Fed.