Google Glass has already been at the center of at least one police dispute but soon, the wearable could be on the other side of the law. The New York City police department recently purchased a few units and is putting them to the test to see if they offer any value in investigations according to a report from VentureBeat.
The search giant said the company wasn't working with law enforcement agencies on the project. That likely means the NYPD must have participated in the Google Glass Explorer program in which an interested party is required to first fill out an application for the spectacles. If approved, the buyer must then shell out $1,500 for the opportunity to participate in the program.
A spokesperson for the force told the publication the units will mostly be used for patrol purposes. If successful, it wouldn't be a stretch to see the department develop police-specific apps for the wearable. One idea that immediately comes to mind is an app that could log into a police database.
Police in San Francisco are already using Samsung Galaxy S 4 smartphones in a similar manner. Officers can tap into the force's database to pull up information about a suspect including a rap sheet and even mug shots. They can also perform warrant checks from the handset. Such data and tasks could just as easily be displayed in Google Glass, one would imagine.