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Show HN: Yelp for Cops

20 points by arionhardison 12y ago

arionhardison 12y ago
Example profile: http://billings-police-dept.copscore.org/police_officers/grant-morrison http://billings-police-dept.copscore.org/police_officers/gra...
correlator 12y ago
I hope this attracts both positive and negative reviews of police officers.
- krapp 12y ago
  Given the nature of the example profile, which lists nothing but stories about an alleged killing by the officer profiled, and the option on the submit form calling the post title and url 'evidence' (suggesting the user is reporting a crime) and a badge number (also suggesting the user is reporting a crime, because no one asks for a badge number if they're happy about the way the cops have treated them) I would assume this site is not intended to present cops in an impartial light, or at least, that it's intended to favor negative reviews over positive ones. Which could still be a valuable service either way. I hope it does get both positive and negative reviews. I see the tragedy of the commons dragging it down into the mire pretty quick, though.
  - arionhardison 12y ago
    I put the badge number there because I did not want people posting fake reviews, I wanted only people that had actual interaction with the Cop to be able to vote. As for the word "evidence" I did not see that as having a negative connotation; which is why the example tag is 'awesome' and not something bad. Also, currently there are more positive cop reviews on the site than negative.
    - krapp 12y ago
      >Also, currently there are more positive cop reviews on the site than negative. Fair enough. Where can we see a more typical example? Because the one you posted was pretty unfavorable.
    - jpetersonmn 12y ago
      I'm not sure that would stop fake reviews though unless somehow you're validating these badge numbers somehow to make sure they match the name posted, etc...
      - arionhardison 12y ago
        Im validating badge numbers to make sure they match the name and police department listed.
kw71 12y ago
Requiring a valid badge number might encourage only negative posts. I personally haven't demanded a badge number unless I'm displeased. I think there may be many instances where someone has something to say and do not know this piece of information. Maybe you can accept different details if this number is not known?
fiatjaf 12y ago
This is certainly illegal here in Brazil. And if it isn't right now it will be right after someone launches a tool like that.
- arionhardison 12y ago
  Why is it illegal? All of the information is public. see: https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=grant+morrison+billings+mt https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&e...
jpetersonmn 12y ago
I like the idea, but not the execution. I'd like to be able to just browse by state, etc... without having to know so many details to look up reviews. Kind of like when I go look on yelp for restaurants I don't need to know the cooks name at the restaurant to be able to find it. Also, I have the feeling that if this ever gained any traction it would be abused with fake reviews, both positive and negative.
- arionhardison 12y ago
  > Also, I have the feeling that if this ever gained any traction it would be abused with fake reviews, both positive and negative. This is why I require badge number to rate an officer and also why I don't just let people browse by state etc...
  - jpetersonmn 12y ago
    But then it won't get any traction, kind of a catch 22.
arionhardison 12y ago
I have made some updates - Added a 5 stars page to highlight the good cops - Added a high profile page to show the high profile cops - Adding a community organizer user type - Added login for police departments - Redid post verification process - Completed API for iOS app I am pushing more updates tonight and tomorrow.
samswey 12y ago
Love this idea. I think it should be able to do three things, and have a map interface to navigate those things. 1: u should be able to tell who are bad cops and who are the best cops in a given department 2: u should be able to tell which are the best/ most highly rated police depts and which are the worst 3: u should be able to analyze this by race, gender and maybe age of the reviewer. That way we can answer the question: which are the best/model police depts from the perspective of black youth. That would be invaluable to the current movement. Love to talk more abt these of ur interested. @samswey
- arionhardison 12y ago
  1: working on map now, should be done by Tues. 2: this will be the key for color coding the map. 3: doing this next week.
samswey 12y ago
It could be that ppl submit a picture of the officer and the police dept, civilian review board or the developer tries to match to a namebadge number. In NYC, the civilian review board almost always identifies the officer involved in a complaint even when no name or badge number is provided.

20 points by arionhardison 12y ago

Example profile: http://billings-police-dept.copscore.org/police_officers/grant-morrison http://billings-police-dept.copscore.org/police_officers/gra...

correlator 12y ago

I hope this attracts both positive and negative reviews of police officers.

krapp 12y ago
Given the nature of the example profile, which lists nothing but stories about an alleged killing by the officer profiled, and the option on the submit form calling the post title and url 'evidence' (suggesting the user is reporting a crime) and a badge number (also suggesting the user is reporting a crime, because no one asks for a badge number if they're happy about the way the cops have treated them) I would assume this site is not intended to present cops in an impartial light, or at least, that it's intended to favor negative reviews over positive ones. Which could still be a valuable service either way. I hope it does get both positive and negative reviews. I see the tragedy of the commons dragging it down into the mire pretty quick, though.
- arionhardison 12y ago
  I put the badge number there because I did not want people posting fake reviews, I wanted only people that had actual interaction with the Cop to be able to vote. As for the word "evidence" I did not see that as having a negative connotation; which is why the example tag is 'awesome' and not something bad. Also, currently there are more positive cop reviews on the site than negative.
  - krapp 12y ago
    >Also, currently there are more positive cop reviews on the site than negative. Fair enough. Where can we see a more typical example? Because the one you posted was pretty unfavorable.
  - jpetersonmn 12y ago
    I'm not sure that would stop fake reviews though unless somehow you're validating these badge numbers somehow to make sure they match the name posted, etc...
    - arionhardison 12y ago
      Im validating badge numbers to make sure they match the name and police department listed.

kw71 12y ago

Requiring a valid badge number might encourage only negative posts. I personally haven't demanded a badge number unless I'm displeased. I think there may be many instances where someone has something to say and do not know this piece of information. Maybe you can accept different details if this number is not known?

fiatjaf 12y ago

This is certainly illegal here in Brazil. And if it isn't right now it will be right after someone launches a tool like that.

arionhardison 12y ago
Why is it illegal? All of the information is public. see: https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=grant+morrison+billings+mt https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&e...

jpetersonmn 12y ago

I like the idea, but not the execution. I'd like to be able to just browse by state, etc... without having to know so many details to look up reviews. Kind of like when I go look on yelp for restaurants I don't need to know the cooks name at the restaurant to be able to find it. Also, I have the feeling that if this ever gained any traction it would be abused with fake reviews, both positive and negative.

arionhardison 12y ago
> Also, I have the feeling that if this ever gained any traction it would be abused with fake reviews, both positive and negative. This is why I require badge number to rate an officer and also why I don't just let people browse by state etc...
- jpetersonmn 12y ago
  But then it won't get any traction, kind of a catch 22.

arionhardison 12y ago

I have made some updates - Added a 5 stars page to highlight the good cops - Added a high profile page to show the high profile cops - Adding a community organizer user type - Added login for police departments - Redid post verification process - Completed API for iOS app I am pushing more updates tonight and tomorrow.

samswey 12y ago

Love this idea. I think it should be able to do three things, and have a map interface to navigate those things. 1: u should be able to tell who are bad cops and who are the best cops in a given department 2: u should be able to tell which are the best/ most highly rated police depts and which are the worst 3: u should be able to analyze this by race, gender and maybe age of the reviewer. That way we can answer the question: which are the best/model police depts from the perspective of black youth. That would be invaluable to the current movement. Love to talk more abt these of ur interested. @samswey

arionhardison 12y ago
1: working on map now, should be done by Tues. 2: this will be the key for color coding the map. 3: doing this next week.

samswey 12y ago

It could be that ppl submit a picture of the officer and the police dept, civilian review board or the developer tries to match to a namebadge number. In NYC, the civilian review board almost always identifies the officer involved in a complaint even when no name or badge number is provided.