The NYPD is getting Google Glasses — for a test run, at least. And it could just be the first police department of many. Does this make you feel safer?
VentureBeat reports that the city police department is testing out Google Glass as a field tool for patrol officers. If the tests go well, it could become a more standard piece of equipment. The perks for police? An on-board database and less paperwork. The downsides, though, could include diminished privacy and a potential for increased surveillance:
Even without facial recognition, Google Glass could help match suspects' names and faces to information contained in various databases that police and federal law enforcement agencies use, such as those from the National Crime Information Center. That would give investigators a handy way to see a suspect's rap sheet while interviewing them, for instance.
It could also help eliminate the time-consuming, hand-written or typed reports that are the bane of cops the world over by enabling video recording and dictation for digital reports.
But the glasses could run afoul of civil liberty groups who say Google Glass and their wireless software programs could encroach on the rights of innocent citizens.
What do you think? Do you want your local PD to be outfitted with the specs? Would Google Glass even be a good tool for law enforcement anyway? And New Yorkers, have you seen any officers beta testing Google Glass out and about?