NYPD urges Waze to drop feature allowing locations of police activity, checkpoints to be shared
(NEW YORK (FOX 5 DC) - The New York Police Department is urging Google to make changes to a feature on its popular Waze navigation app that allows information about police activity and checkpoints to be shared.
Currently, Waze allows drivers to report information, like police locations along the road, on the app. The NYPD sent a letter to Google asking them to remove the function. The letter warns Google that Waze users who post these locations may be engaging in criminal conduct.
Attorney Julie Rendelman spoke to FOX New York about the issue. "Obviously, the concern is always that, God forbid, something happens tomorrow where an individual provides a drunk driver information that a checkpoint is ahead -- he avoids it -- and kills two people," she said. "Then people are going to start to ask those questions of, "Should the person who provided that information also be held criminally responsible?""
Google responded saying they believe informing drivers about speed traps allows them to be more careful and make safe decisions.