App Encourages Recording of Police Stops

A new smartphone app encourages users to monitor and record police stops and then send the data to the New York Civil Liberties Union—the group that launched it. The purpose of the free app, called Stop and Frisk Watch, is to collect evidence of "unlawful stop-and-frisk encounters and other police misconduct." Civil rights groups condemn such stops and say they unfairly target minorities, reports MSNBC. The Justice Department is reviewing the NYPD strategy.

The app has three main functions: video recording, reporting the info to the NYCLU, and a "listen" button that allows the user to see where nearby stops are taking place. It's intended for use by bystanders, not someone who has been stopped. The NYPD hates it, saying criminals will be aware of police locations. (More smartphone app stories.)