• BigFig@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    SURELY these cops can be totally trusted to not use this when they see an attractive woman they want to follow around, or a vulnerable minority they want to harass.

    • jonne@infosec.pub
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      9 months ago

      I mean, the Japanese police has been doing this for decades with paintball guns. Definitely better than high speed chases.

      • realbadat@programming.dev
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        9 months ago

        Oh 100% it’s better than high speed chases.

        And given the history of basically every police force throughout the United States, guaranteed to be misused and abused as well.

        • jonne@infosec.pub
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          9 months ago

          Yeah, police are already abusing GPS trackers. The thing is that banning technology isn’t going to fix that, it’s a government that will hold police accountable for their crimes.

      • MotoAsh@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        I mean… their comment was specifically NOT about the normal intended use.

        • jonne@infosec.pub
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          9 months ago

          That’s a policy problem, not a technology problem. Cops are abusing every tool they’re given because they can get away with it, not because of the tool. If you sent them on patrol unarmed and on foot they’d still be going around beating up people with the current oversight regime.

          • realbadat@programming.dev
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            9 months ago

            That’s the reaction here though.

            Not the technology, the lack of oversight. I didn’t see any mention of an oversight board or review panel, repercussions for abuse, etc.

            Which with any technology, and the clear history of exactly the issues you’ve noted, is an absolute requirement imo.

            Great tech and approach. Guaranteed to be used correctly in some cases, and massively abused in others. Without policy revisions to address those abuses, it’s a potentially very frightening technology in police hands.

          • MotoAsh@lemmy.world
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            9 months ago

            “… because they can get away with it.”

            Sounds like it doesn’t matter what tech we give them so long as they can get away with it.

    • Daxtron2@startrek.website
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      9 months ago

      Silent, small, and easily hideable gps trackers already exist that would make much more sense to use than this.

    • Ajen@sh.itjust.works
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      9 months ago

      This seems harder to abuse than the regular GPS trackers they’ve had for a long time. The dart probably makes a loud noise when it hits the car and might damage the paint. If they’re harassing someone wouldn’t they rather quietly stick a tracker to the bottom of a car where it wouldn’t be noticed?

    • bitfucker@programming.dev
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      9 months ago

      Abuse of technology is not the fault of the technology itself. You didn’t blame the gun for misuse of guns by the police do you? IMHO, this tech is better than the government having EVERY car GPS tracked

      • Phoenixz@lemmy.ca
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        9 months ago

        You don’t blame the tool, you blame either the individual or the policies. Unfortunately, in US police, the individuals tend to be the failed marine dictator wannabees, who the thanks to lacks policies get a near carte blanche to abuse those tools like there is no tomorrow.

        Same goes for gun policies in general, they’re so dumb that you have near daily mass shootings there, causing loads of individuals to wonder how this can possibly happen and claim that there is nothing anyone safe god himself can do about the situation.

    • PriorityMotif@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      It illegal to track someone like that without a warrant. Instead, they can use the easily accessible legal privately owned ALPR system to see their habits.

      • BigFig@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        I don’t think legality is a concern of someone planning on stalking or harassment

    • Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      Uhhh it does sound a bit far fetched to think they’ll start shooting these darts at random people? I don’t think it’s a very discreet process. Something that could happen but I don’t foresee this becoming a common thing

    • RealFknNito@lemmy.world
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      9 months ago

      Article: Police are doing a better job, here’s how.

      Most of Lemmy: Nuh uh they’re gonna use it to abolish the thirteenth amendment and stalk cute girls.

      I’m begging you to shut the fuck up. Every whisper of cop news has some dipshit with a comment like this. We get it, you don’t like police, go harass Facebook boomers about it.

      • tslnox@reddthat.com
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        9 months ago

        Yes, because the police have never ever abused a power they’ve been given.

        • RealFknNito@lemmy.world
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          9 months ago

          Yes, because even when police find and take opportunities to do their dangerous job safer than before, we should still have prepubescent dickheads find ways to remind us police bad. Who could ever grow tried of hearing “ACAB” at every mention of police?

          I bet the cop who got in a squirtgun fight with some local kids put lemon juice in his gun. Typical.

          • BReel@lemmy.one
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            9 months ago

            It’s not bad to be skeptical considering their record. It’s responsible. Yes. It’s good that they are doing something to make things more safe. But yes it’s also good to continue to call attention to the ways this new tech can (and almost certainly will) be abused.

            They dug their own hole of skepticism, not us.

            I don’t really care if someone’s “tired of hearing ACAB” if people are still losing their lives unjustly to bad cops. Continuing to raise awareness in any little way is better then not being annoying.

            • RealFknNito@lemmy.world
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              9 months ago

              Go ahead and be skeptical but there’s a difference between being a skeptic and being bias. You’re the latter.

                • RealFknNito@lemmy.world
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                  9 months ago

                  Man oh man it’s almost like I refuse to acknowledge someone’s opinion especially when they admit to having an inclination that inhibits impartial judgment stemming from prejudice.

                  Man oh man.

                  • SphereofWreckening@ttrpg.network
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                    9 months ago

                    It’s not impartial judgement if the entire system for policing is built upon immunity: which it is. There are only extremely rare cases where police are held accountable, and usually only after massive backlash.

                    Also there are biases in literally all opinions. No one is a perfectly logical human being. But whatever you have to say to make yourself feel superior.

      • fuckingkangaroos@lemm.ee
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        9 months ago

        I’m sick of it too. As someone who generally avoids police, the amount of angsty anti-police propaganda on Lemmy is ridiculous.