n arrested protester is lead onto a Los Angles Police Departmet (LAPD) transport bus at one intersection during a demonstration following the grand jury decision not to indict a white police officer who had shot dead an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri in the early morning hours of November 26, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. ; Credit: David McNew/Getty Images
See a police officer overstepping his or her authority? Now there’s an app for that, too.
The ACLU of California announced today that it is rolling out a mobile app called “Mobile Justice CA,” which users can use to record video if they see a law-enforcement officer they believe there’s a violation of civil rights. The video is automatically sent to the user’s local ACLU affiliate and is preserved even if the sender’s phone is taken or destroyed later on.
The ACLU warns users that while the app is intended for bystanders, they know some may try to use the app during an interaction with police. They advise users who plan to do this to announce that they are reaching for their phone and attempting to access the app. It can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or Android’s Google Play.
Do you think this app will change anything about community interactions with police? What concerns might law enforcement officers have about the app?
Guest:
Peter Bibring, Director of Police Practices & Senior Staff Attorney at the ACLU of Southern California