The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota released a phone app on Friday that allows users to record and discuss police encounters, but authorities have some concerns.
The free app, called Mobile Justice MN, is currently available free of charge in Apple’s App Store and in Android’s Google Play. The app allows users to take videos of police encounters, report incidents, and let other users know when and where a police/civilian encounter is taking place. When video is captured using the app, the recording is automatically sent to the Minnesota ACLU for review, even if the phone is turned off or destroyed.
Teresa Nelson, legal director of the Minnesota ACLU, said the app will help hold police accountable for their actions.
“We are experiencing a national moment where communities are calling for police accountability,” said Nelson. “This app reinforces that.”
Not Everyone Supports App
Many police officers are used to having their actions recorded by citizens, but they think the app could have some unintended consequences.
“It will be like adding fuel to a fire,” the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis and the Saint Paul Police Federation said in a joint statement. “Some who use this app will have bad intentions.”
The main concern stems from the app’s ability to broadcast the location of a recording to other app users. The police unions believe that function will encourage people to flock to areas and muddle an already sensitive crime scene or to escalate an already tense situation.
The app was launched over the weekend in 11 states, and it had already been available in eight other states. No video recorded from the app has resulted in a legal case, but the ACLU believes it’s better to be safe than sorry. They hold onto the videos for one year, and the ACLU has the ability to publish any recordings to Youtube or other social channels.
The app was released Friday, just two days before a Minneapolis officer shot an unarmed black male during an officer-involved altercation. Although nobody was able to capture video of the incident using the app, the shooting has led to numerous protests around the state.
Related source: Grand Forks Herald
