Police are turning to a popular website to help nab criminals. Police departments are using YouTube.com as a law enforcement tool, asking the Internet-using public to help identify criminals. Video clips of suspected criminals are posted on the site and departments ask the public for their help in identifying them.
The most publicized clip was a surveillance recording in Hamilton, Ontario Canada that was posted on the site in December. The video showed a suspect in a fatal stabbing case that occurred outside a hip-hop concert. Detectives posted links to the clip on popular hip-hop Web sites to draw attention to it. Even though it was only 72 seconds long, the clip received more than 35,000 "hits" and led to an arrest within two weeks.
Members of police forces aren't the only ones using YouTube.com to their advantage. Groups that monitor police behavior use the site to post videos of arrests where officers used excessive force or abuse. Last year, a clip of an officer in Los Angeles repeatedly punching a suspect in the face triggered an FBI investigation.
Critics of the new law enforcement tool argue that posting the videos is an invasion of privacy. They feel that police should be required to gain consent of bystanders or victims before making the videos public. They also suggest that the videos be dated and removed once legal action has been taken. Critics also point out the risks of fruitless tips and misidentification problems.
Police departments can legally post surveillance videos online as long as the video doesn't somehow falsely accuse or defame someone. Experts say it's logical for departments to use the Internet to connect with the public. It provides them with the opportunity to reach younger Internet users who may know valuable information. Police are happy to be using the latest technology tools but still argue that it "will never replace the feet-on-the-street."
http://www.komotv.com/news/tech/6299067.html
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3 comments:
I think itis a great idea. Of course we still need officers on the street, but it is a great idea to involve the public to help stop crime. What better use of our media resources can we imagine?
I find that the www is turning into be quite the tool for many different aspects of society. I think it's good to use if it helps apprehend criminals. I don't think it's good if it's used to impose upon people's lives. But, I guess you have to take the good with the bad.
What a great way to use the resources we now have at our fingertips. This is an amazing way to get something benefical (besides people singing backstreet boys songs in crazy outfits) out of youtube. The easy it is to catch criminals the better.
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