In a time when nearly everyone, regardless of income, seems to have a smartphone, the ACLU has come up with something that could help during your next encounter with an overzealous law enforcement officer: an instant reporting app.
Mobile Justice CA was created by the Southern California branch of the American Civil Liberties Union as a way to "keep law enforcement accountable and protect your rights."
Available for iOS and for Android, the free app allows users to instantly record and send a video of a police encounter to the ACLU.
Additionally, the app also allows you to turn on GPS tracking so that you can be notified if anyone else using the app near your location reports an incident. In light of recent demonstrations against police brutality, the app could be seen as essential equipment for some engaging in peaceful protests.
The app also includes a list of U.S. rights, giving the user an additional tool in potentially touchy situations involving police encounters, as well as free speech and student rights demonstrations.
It comes on the heels of recent high-profile police brutality cases that used bystander videos to show what really happened, such as the death of Walter Scoot in South Carolina, which resulted in the responsible officer being charged with murder.
That such an app is even necessary may itself serve as a commentary on U.S. law enforcement policies, which are still evolving every day. But, in the meantime, the ACLU's app is one tech-powered answer to the many questions swirling around recent, politically charged events in the U.S.
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