The NYPD sent a cease and desist letter to Google over the weekend. NYPD wants Google to cancel its Waze feature that allows users to flag police checkpoints. Waze is a new feature on the Google Maps app, Waze can be considered as a community driven traffic app.
The Waze app has 100 million users.
Google created Waze to help drivers circumvent traffic. The NYPD says Waze is tipping off drunk drivers so they can intentionally avoid police check points, reports CBS New York.
Excerpts from the letter says:
“This letter serves to put you on notice that the NYPD has become aware that the Waze Mobile application, a community-driven GPS navigation application owned by Google LLC, currently permits the public to report DWI checkpoints throughout New York City and map these locations on the application,”
the letter goes on to say:
“Individuals who post the locations of DWI checkpoints may be engaging in criminal conduct since such actions could be intentional attempts to prevent and/or impair the administration of the DWI laws and other relevant criminal and traffic laws. The posting of such information for public consumption is irresponsible since it only serves to aid impaired and intoxicated drivers to evade checkpoints and encourage reckless driving. Revealing the location of checkpoints puts those drivers, their passengers, and the general public at risk,”
and finally the letter threatens legal action:
“The NYPD will pursue all legal remedies to prevent the continued posting of this irresponsible and dangerous information.”
A Google statement reads:
“Safety is a top priority when developing navigation features at Google. We believe that informing drivers about upcoming speed traps allows them to be more careful and make safer decisions when they’re on the road.”
