- Record: This allows the user to film an incident with audio by simply pushing a trigger on the phone’s frame. Shaking the phone stops the filming. When filming stops, the user immediately receives a brief survey allowing them to provide details about the incident. The video and survey go to the NYCLU, which uses the information to shed light on the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk practices and hold the Department accountable for its actions.
- Listen: This function alerts the user when people in their vicinity are being stopped by the police. When other app users in the area trigger Stop and Frisk Watch, the user receives a message reporting where the police stop is happening. This feature is especially useful for community groups who monitor police activity.
- Report: This prompts the survey, allowing users to report a police interaction they saw or experienced, even if they didn’t film it.
NYCLU Unveils "Stop and Frisk Watch" App for iPhones
The New York Civil Liberties Union today released an iPhone version of Stop and Frisk Watch – a free smart-phone app that allows bystanders to document NYPD stop-and-frisk encounters and alert community members when a street stop is in progress.
“Stop and Frisk Watch empowers New Yorkers to confront abusive, discriminatory policing,” said NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman. “The NYPD’s own data shows that the overwhelming majority of people subjected to stop-and-frisk are black or Latino, and innocent of any wrongdoing. Our smart phone app allows individuals and community groups to document in real time how each unjustified stop further corrodes trust between communities and law enforcement.”
Stop and Frisk Watch, which has been available on Android phones since June and has been downloaded by nearly 20,000 New Yorkers, allows bystanders to fully document stop-and-frisk encounters and alert community members when a street stop is in progress. It has three primary functions: