Law enforcement fights back against the Waze app police tracking feature

Justin Kahn

Posts: 752   +6

police undermine waze deluge phony sightings

Waze is a community based traffic and navigation app that allows it users to pinpoint where police cars and speeding radar set-ups are currently located (among other things). This particular feature isn’t go over well with law enforcement, so police in Miami are attempting to fill it with fake police sightings in order throw its users off and undermine the app’s validity.

Based on local news reports, hundreds of police officers in the area are filling the app with these bogus sightings, seemingly in hopes of having it shutdown for good. Some reports suggest it is likely that officers across the country are also doing the same thing in their local areas.

While in most cases it just appears as though users are adding entries for others to avoid speeding tickets and things of that nature, U.S Sheriffs claim the issues could be much more severe than that. Waze, which is owned by Google, could apparently be used to stalk police officers, according to US law enforcement officials. However, many have suggested (including Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel) this claim likely doesn’t hold much weight considering anyone going to do something like this wouldn’t need Waze to do it.

Waze feels its service just makes users drive more carefully then ever knowing that police officers are in the area.

It is hard to say how this feature and the roughly 50 million users Waze has actually effects road safety. Some suggest the revenue law enforcement collects in Miami and other parts of the country from speeding tickets is likely taking the biggest hit of all.

Permalink to story.

 
I used Waze before I started using Google Maps. I may have to give it another look...
 
Last edited:
Why don't they just put a camera at every 5th mile marker? Even if it is a dummy, people wouldn't know the difference. If people think their driving habits are being watched every few miles, they will mind likely obey regulations more frequently. The sad truth is they want people breaking the law, as much as the people want to break the law.
 
Why don't they just put a camera at every 5th mile marker? Even if it is a dummy, people wouldn't know the difference. If people think their driving habits are being watched every few miles, they will mind likely obey regulations more frequently. The sad truth is they want people breaking the law, as much as the people want to break the law.

Yup that is how they fill the monthly ticket quota's
 
Why don't they just put a camera at every 5th mile marker? Even if it is a dummy, people wouldn't know the difference. If people think their driving habits are being watched every few miles, they will mind likely obey regulations more frequently. The sad truth is they want people breaking the law, as much as the people want to break the law.

Yup that is how they fill the monthly ticket quota's

In tribal times it was called tribute.
 
If they want to reinforce that cops are trustworthy, then this is how you do it. Oh... wait...
 
Isint that agains the Waze TOS ?
Regardless of whether it is or not, how could you police the police (anyone for that matter) and get them banned for false info? And when reporting, how would you prove your argument is not in fact the false info?
 
Why don't they just put a camera at every 5th mile marker? Even if it is a dummy, people wouldn't know the difference. If people think their driving habits are being watched every few miles, they will mind likely obey regulations more frequently. The sad truth is they want people breaking the law, as much as the people want to break the law.

Because there is a little something called the Confrontation Clause in the US constitution. Basically you have the right to face your accuser in court for any criminal accusations. Which is why the police officer(or other witness) must be present in order to commit you of a crime in even things as simple as a speeding ticket. The city of Houston spent millions implementing red light cameras only to have them turned off because of this same reason. Besides that, all it did was cause more rear end collisions because of people slamming on their brakes so they wouldn't get a ticket at the light.

This is nothing more than a money grab. They are losing revenue because of this app, so they are trying to kill it. How about pulling less people over coming home from work doing 5miles over the speed limit and getting out and cleaning crime ridden neighborhoods? Maybe because that's not where the money is.
 
Because there is a little something called the Confrontation Clause in the US constitution. Basically you have the right to face your accuser in court for any criminal accusations.
You saying this is funny. They already have automated systems in place that use character recognition on your license plate and mail you a fine based on specific traffic violations. Then if you object you can face the facts in court and fight the accusation then. The car owner is liable for fines, if the offense can not be proven the actions of others. Basically if it was your car, pay the fine and you deal with whoever was at fault.
 
They already have automated systems in place that use character recognition on your license plate and mail you a fine based on specific traffic violations.

Never said it was not implemented anywhere. Simply a reasons why it should not be. The government does many things that they don't have the legal authority to do.

People tend to see a picture of them running a red light and just opt to admit guilt and pay the fine. However there are many instances where the confrontation clause has dismissed cases. Unless these police officers want to have a full staff that is available to both read the camera feeds AND appear in court to face the accused, then it will only gain traction.

In reality it will(if not already) get easy to doctor video. And you can accuse anyone of anything based on a video supposedly of them. What then? Accept jail time?
 
In reality it will(if not already) get easy to doctor video. And you can accuse anyone of anything based on a video supposedly of them. What then? Accept jail time?
That would be no more an issue than police making false accusations. If anyone is going to accuse you, they will find a way regardless of resources.
 
That would be no more an issue than police making false accusations. If anyone is going to accuse you, they will find a way regardless of resources.

Yes but in that case you will get the opportunity to face the officer making false accusations and submit evidence to rebut his accusations in court. Innocent until proven guilty.

With a traffic camera equipped with an automated system it essentially becomes the accuser,judge,and jury. And you guilty until proven innocent(if you choose to fight it).

That's not what our constitution represents.
 
The idea that Waze can be used to "stalk" police is just a red herring. Everyone knows that if you ever want to know where a cop is all you have to do is hang out at a Dunkin' Donuts.
 
This tells me that Waze is actually useful and accurate. I'll use it even more now! Since we can just report that the cop car (fake car) is no longer there.
 
Why don't they just put a camera at every 5th mile marker? Even if it is a dummy, people wouldn't know the difference. If people think their driving habits are being watched every few miles, they will mind likely obey regulations more frequently. The sad truth is they want people breaking the law, as much as the people want to break the law.

I am not saying introducing new laws is a bad thing, it surely help keep people/things safe. But I believe the more laws are introduced, the more people will be tempted to try to break it. And I agree with what you said,

"The sad truth is they want people breaking the law, as much as the people want to break the law".
 
Never heard of Waze, thank you Miami police, I just installed it on my phone.
 
They don't care about that, it's the ticketing and generating that revenue that's paramount.
 
Doesn't Waze have rights as a company to not have their product (app) used as a tool for fraud by the police departments?
 
If anyone's rights are being violated, I'd say it was the polices rights. They should have the right to do their job, without being flagged on a map for the world to see.
 
Doesn't Waze have rights as a company to not have their product (app) used as a tool for fraud by the police departments?

I think you will struggle to argue that it is fraud. The police aren't gaining anything from doing this really and Waze and their users aren't losing anything in real terms.
 
Back