The issue of policing in the America is a hot topic and a big part of that is accountability and police reform. Nowadays capturing encounters with police on video has become the norm in our society.
Recent protests after the death of George Floyd has more people using their phones to document everything they see.
Right now there’s an old app getting some new traction and it’s called “Mobile Justice". More than 3,500 Arizonans have downloaded the app in the last two months.
Marcus Benigno with the American Civil Liberties Union says the Mobile Justice app was launched in 2015 after the deaths of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown kicked off the Black Lives Matter movement.
“By using the ACLU app we can guarantee that someone on our end will be reviewing that video and if there’s anything that’s actionable we will follow-up. What we see is people using it to assert their rights at protests assert their right during encounters with police,”Benigno said.
He also says the number of users is growing by the day. So far Mobile Justice has more than 650,000. The app also gained over 50,000 new downloads in the last two weeks.
“Using it not just as a tool to capture police brutality, but also a tool to actually deescalate a situation at times. As soon as you record and finish your recording the incident report survey will pop up it’s practically an intake form,” Benigno said.
Once you download the app for the state you live in, the app sends a livestream of our video directly to the ACLU to review.
You also need to add details like names, badge numbers and the location of the incident, but users have to be aware and responsible for their own safety.
The Mobile Justice app is available in 17 states including Arizona and the District of Columbia on both Android and iPhones. The ACLU is hoping to have it in every state in the near future.
“What’s beautiful about the app is in your pocket you have the entire know your rights library of the ACLU. When you’re in a time of emergency you can just access what your rights are,” Benigno said.
An update is expected next month that allows you to add three trusted contacts to receive reported livestreams from your phone.
And it’s available in English and Spanish. So far more than 600,000 videos have been submitted since app was released.
“Keep filming I know these stories are really tragic but without these films without these videos you wouldn’t have the powerful response from the community that is galvanizing some of this reform,” Benigno said.
There is also a shortcut available on the iPhone that activates when you says"Hey Siri I'm getting pulled over". Your phone will instantly record front facing video and send it to your iCloud.
Mobile Justice install information...https://www.aclu.org/issues/criminal-law-reform/reforming-police/aclu-apps-record-police-conduct
Hey Siri shortcut information..https://www.abc15.com/news/america-in-crisis/hey-siri-im-getting-pulled-over-iphone-shortcut-records-interaction-with-police
