New app records police encounters

PITTSBURGH — This past year, there have been several police-involved shootings across the country that have made national headlines.

They have forced some local police departments to add body cameras to their uniforms.

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Now, there’s a new app that gives the American Civil Liberties Union another look at crime scenes. All you need is a smartphone.

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“The prime purpose of the app is to be able to quickly record whatever is going on, and as soon as you end that recording, it gets uploaded into the cloud (and) gets transmitted to the ACLU," said ACLU legal director Vitold Valczak.

Walczak said the new app is called Mobile Justice, and the point is to record police interactions.

The video evidence is meant to exonerate officers, civilians or both of any wrongdoing.

“When police and the civilians know they are being recorded, it has a civilizing effect on both of them, which is good because that’s going to minimize the amount of violent and aggressive interactions,” Walczak said.

There’s a section to fill out a report and to notify other people about what you’re witnessing.

“You’ve got a section that says rights, and so it gives you your rights under Pennsylvania law, which is different than in other states. So it talks about what you’re allowed to do and not allowed to do,” Walczak said.

The app launched in mid-November and already has more than 1,200 downloads in Pennsylvania.

WPXI