R. L'Heureux Lewis-McCoy says in Ebony that the New York City Police Department's policy of stop and frisk won't stop until people across the city participate in changing the status quo. Fortunately, the New York Civil Liberties Union has launched a mobile phone application that allows people to do just that by recording stop-and-frisk activity in action.
One of the main issues with oppression is that it is most meaningful to those who experience it. If you don't experience it, your privilege often blinds you to it's presence and/or convinces bystanders there is nothing they can do to help stop it. We all have a stake in ending oppression and making our communities more safe and livable. With the launch of the "Stop and Frisk Watch" app by the New York Civil Liberties Union there is a way for all of us to become involved in ending police misconduct …
The over-policing of communities has not led to greater safety and ultimately destabilizes the relationship between community members and police. This week, the New York Civil Liberties Union in collaboration with a range of organizations released a smart phone app to combat stop and frisk. The "Stop and Frisk Watch" app, which is available for the Android platform, allows bystanders to monitor and report police misconduct. The app also allows recorded videos of the police to be uploaded automatically in the case that police confiscate the recording phone. The app is a product of multiple community groups working in coalition like the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement and Make the Road to help end police misconduct. The app is available in both English and Spanish and contains a module on citizens' rights during interactions with the police.
Read R. L'Heureux Lewis-McCoy's entire piece at Ebony.com.
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