Film police activity

A US civil rights advocacy group has launched a free mobile phone application that allows users to record police activity discreetly, saying it will help boost police force accountability. The New Jersey branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) explained that “Police Tape,” allows people to securely and discreetly record and store interactions with police. The Android phone application is available for download from http://www.aclu-nj.org “Too often, incidents of serious misconduct go unreported because citizens don’t feel that they will be believed,” said the organization’s executive director Deborah Jacobs.

Unlike traditional smartphone recording apps, “Police Tape” disappears from the screen once it is launched, minimizing the possibility that police will notice the recorder. The application allows users to send the file to the ACLU for safe-keeping and analysis. A similar iPhone application will be available later this summer.