Copwatch

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I created the design for an iPhone application that will provide protection for victims of police brutality. It will do this by providing quick and easy access to your iphone camera that will either take video or still images. By collecting evidence of brutality or injuries the iphone will become a powerful tool for protecting your rights. The application will also offer more information on your legal rights when encountering law enforcement, information on petitions to sign against police brutality, locations of local hospitals, police brutality lawyers, or counselors, and a forum to share and discuss your stories and the stories of others.
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February 2, 2011
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Copwatch icon
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Starting Page
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Example footage
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Sample stories
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Link to "Know Your Rights" PDF
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One of the challenges that arose in this project was the fact that taking videos of police encounters has led to some legal struggles with some witnesses with iPhones. iPhone videos have revealed some terrifying police encounters, and some of those officers have chosen to protect themselves under wiretapping laws.

 
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My solution was to disable audio on this iphone application while taking video since only concealed audio is illegal, not taking public video. I will disable the audio so that these wiretapping laws will not be a viable defense for the officers that choose to seek defense under them.