Android will help take a bite out of NYC crime

A new pilot program within NYPD that began last summer has deployed 400 dedicated Android smartphones which are not equipped to send or receive calls. The phones are specifically being used to pull up a person's criminal history, and verify their identification through multiple databases, like police photo arrays, and DMV records.


Photo source: Talkandroid

This tool is much more reliable than the laptop that is in every NYPD patrol car, one important difference is it can be used by a foot patrol officer to gain important information that could potentially keep that officer safe on the street, another good point is all the information will be provided real-time.

The New York Times spoke with patrol officer Tom Donaldson, who demonstrated that by merely typing in a building’s street address, and tapping the screen a couple of times, he could have an astounding array of information available to him.

He has access to every resident in the building with open warrants, arrest records or previous police summons; each apartment with a prior domestic incident report; all residents with orders of protection against them; registered gun owners; and the arrest photographs of every parolee in the building.

He would also be able to find and access video surveillance cameras that might be facing in the direction of the subject building.