Google For Cops?
from the connect-the-dots dept
TechTV is running a story about a computer system called CopLink that is being referred to as a "Google" for cops - connecting all their various databases with some powerful search tools. Police can just put in random "clues" that they have, and the system suggests possible connections. It certainly sounds like a powerful system - though, the article doesn't address some of the concerns such a system might bring about. When people have these types of tools at their hands, they sometimes begin to rely too much on them - which could be a major problem if the system returns "false positives". It also might increase the drive for "more information" being fed into the databases, as opposed to "better information". If these concerns are clearly addressed, then the system actually sounds very useful in helping police track down criminals.
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Cops aren't techies
If local cops have better access to national databases, it has implications for the relevance of federal law enforcement.
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Google for cops sounds great!
What's sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander!
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