iPhone app helps Tasmanian cops nab crooks

Tasmanian cops are using some pretty sophisticated technology to catch criminals down there -- they have hardware in their cars now that will not only catch pictures of criminals, but upload them to a database, track down any outstanding warrants or other red flags, and update GPS information and location data of where the checks are made. Oh, and there's apparently an app for that. When the cops realized that they could do all of those same functions with department-issued iPhones, they built an app that replicates the functionality seen in the cop cars. So even while the police are walking a beat, they can pull out an iPhone and check up on any drivers they happen to see.

Very interesting. Unfortunately, there's not much information available about how long it took them to build the app, or just who put it all together -- the article from Australia's The Mercury seems mostly intended as a warning to criminals everywhere that even though a cop may not recognize you, an iPhone will. But this is just another reminder that we're all walking around with a little handheld device that has the ability to replace most of the technology we were using just a few years ago. When we hear about a cop making an arrest while on a phone call, we'll let you know.

[via Obama Pacman]

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Source: http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2009/12/22/117125_tasma…

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Tasmanian cops are using some pretty sophisticated technology to catch criminals down there -- they have hardware in their cars now that...

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FatMax

Seeing as I responded to your conspirazy theory, I consider myself neither lazy nor a coward. Don't blame me, blame your government if this sort of thing scares you.

December 25 2009 at 9:37 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

FatMax

C'mon! This is the 21th century! Ofcourse the police embraces new technology. And it is as simple AS Nick points out; If you havent done anything wrong theres nothing to worry about. Do you seriously think holocaust is about to happen all over again? Technology is there to preventiv that from happening to Need I remind you about the irany uproars this summer? Twitter and Facebook effectively helped the people of this nation to reach out to the world. Think again.

December 23 2009 at 5:11 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to FatMax's comment

cclawson

Yeah. You're right. We have nothing to worry about. No government could ever monitor the Internet or block access to websites they deem dangerous to their control or threatening to their power. Oh wait. What was the name of that one tiny Asian country that does that already? Oh yeah! China. But they wouldn't ever do anything to violate civil rights so let's just sit back and not even think twice about privacy rights. Nothing bad could ever happen.

Grow up. Technology is just a tool and it can be used for good or evil with equal effectiveness. It's because we have people concerned about everyones privacy rights that we all have them. If we all adopted your lazy, cowardly attitude, our rights wouldn't last more than a few years before we were overrun with despots.

December 24 2009 at 1:30 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Digital1

iPhone controlled chain gun mounted to the car using laser targeting are...Ooops! wrong post!

December 23 2009 at 10:46 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

alex_rodriguez

Ok, this is cool and everything, but doesn't this raise some privacy concerns, especially in the US, where we have the 4th amendment? Logically, wouldn't it make sense to use this technology to create some sort of camera system which could be mounted on an officer's helmet which could be used to capture and trace every person that officer came across?

I'm not usually one to get antsy about things like this, but the ramifications for this tech are downright Orwellian.

December 23 2009 at 9:22 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

3 replies to alex_rodriguez's comment

jimmack

But isn't this a glaringly obvious security hole? Cop puts down iPhone to eat doughnut, and whilst in the midst of sugar rush heaven, the phone is stolen and hacked by some 15yr old kid with internet access....who 20mins later has access to the Police database?

December 23 2009 at 4:08 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Dan Woods

It would have been nice to actually have a photo of a Tasmania Police Car.
http://www.themercury.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2009/05/04/PolCar.jpg

December 22 2009 at 8:43 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

3 replies to Dan Woods's comment

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