L.A. Podcaster Clarifies 911 Call Details Following Studio City Home Burglary Controversy

Evan Lovett, the popular creator and host of the “LA in a Minute” podcast, has backpedaled on initial claims that he was placed on hold for nearly an hour when calling 911 to report a burglary at his Studio City residence.

Burglary Leads to Viral Outcry

The controversy began in early March 2025, when Lovett returned to his home to find a glass door shattered and numerous personal valuables, including irreplaceable family heirlooms, stolen. Following the incident, Lovett took to social media to voice his frustration, claiming he was kept waiting on hold for 59 minutes, which quickly sparked public outrage over emergency response times in Los Angeles.

The story gained significant traction, prompting responses from local leaders. Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Nithya Raman both addressed the situation, calling such response delays “unacceptable” and highlighting ongoing initiatives to hire and train more emergency dispatchers to combat staffing shortages.

LAPD Clarification and Apology

The Los Angeles Police Department subsequently clarified the sequence of events. Captain Ray Valois explained that Lovett's initial emergency call was actually answered within 74 seconds. Because Lovett informed the dispatcher that the suspects had already left the scene and that there was no immediate threat to life, his call was routed to a non-emergency line. The hour-long hold occurred on the non-emergency queue, which often experiences long wait times during peak hours.

Lovett later updated his followers, expressing embarrassment over the confusion and confirming the LAPD's account of the timeline. He clarified that the dispatch system did answer promptly, but maintained that the extreme delay on the non-emergency line remains a critical issue for victims of property crime seeking assistance.