Some Texas residents can now report crime or suspected illegal activity directly to police from their iPhones.
Called Eye on Laredo, the app was made available gratis in iTunes March 23 and deemed suitable for anyone over the age of four.
Local Sheriff Martin Cuellar is billing the app as the 21st century upgrade for the neighborhood watch program, though it sounds a little more like digital vigilante.
“People can report a direct and safe burglary, auto, drug sales, suspicious activity, gangs and terrorism among other crimes, ” Cuellar said. He also noted that concerned citizens can report about any illegal activity they want in order to have “quiet neighborhoods to live in.”
And that last part makes me as wary of this app as the Homeland Security suspicious activity reporting app, or apps like Crime Tips.
It’s easy to imagine people reporting things like suspected illegal immigration or child abuse for anyone they don’t like, just to create trouble.
One of the few reviews on the iTunes store about the Laredo app highlighted what could be another problem, both legal and social:
“How can there not be a reward system?” writes a user going by the name of Ram Bueno. “There is no incentive to literally stick your neck out and take a picture of a crime in progress.”
Developers Vorpal Fox launched a base app called iSpotaCrime in 2010 that can be customized for local police forces.
Via Laredo Sun
Nicole Martinelli is a San Francisco freelance writer who heads up Cult of Mac Magazine, our weekly publication available on iTunes. You can find her on Twitter and Google+. If you’re doing something new, cool and Apple-related, email her.
11 responses to “Does Crime Reporting App Create Digital Vigilantes?”
“There is no incentive to literally sick your neck out and take a picture of a crime in progress.”
No incentive, huh? What about the fact that, by doing nothing to stop the crime, you’re almost as guilty of committing it as the perp, or at least the fact that you’re proving your near-zero worth as a responsible citizen?
People should not need a reward to do the right thing–or realize the reward is a safer environment for all by having done the right thing.
it’s against the law to make false reports, so is there a mechanism in place to determine if that happens and the consequences?
Thank you Daniel, you are very, very correct. People will only get involved when it happens to them. Me, I like the app and take the offensive, if you see me taking your picture, chances are you’re butt’s going to jail. I look at it this way, any crime being committed could happen to my mom, trust me, that’s my incentive to go after the dirt bag
I can just see it now. Car thief see’s you taking his picture with iPhone. Car thief takes tire iron and cracks you over the head with tire iron. Car thief then takes your wallet, iPhone and car and leaves laughing while you lie there unconscious. If I wanted to stop a car thief I’d say screw the app and just crack the scumbag over the head with a tire iron then call the cops. It’s not a case of me liking violence it’s a case of me and my neighbors being vigilant enough so when a car thief comes into my neighborhood he thinks twice and keeps walking knowing there’s far easier pickings elsewhere.
Nicole Martinelli the Sheriff’s staff mentioned it was going to be forwarded to crime stoppers. Crime Stoppers issues rewards. Most people are just outright negative, why not suggest a way on how to improve a utility such as this? What would you call old school neighborhood watch programs? A bunch of vigilantes??
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