[coospep]

> So while someone on my team is gathering the requested data, someone else is doing the verification

The whole point is that verification will take much longer than hours.

> Sounds like you're saying the problem is that the government is mandating things and providing no rules about how it should work. That seems like such an un-government-like thing to do, they usually get weirdly specific.

The government is very specific when it comes to what is required of you. The government is not very specific when it comes to what is required of the government.

[logifail]

> The whole point is that verification will take much longer than hours.

How can it take longer than hours to reach the actual police department in $someSmallTown, USA ?

$Deity forbid you actually happen to live in $someSmallTown and need the police in a hurry...

[giantg2]

Research the village constables in Alaska. There are also small towns that have only part time police forces. This sort of stuff really isn't uncommon.

[logifail]

FWIW I lived in a village with a part-time police presence. Based on our experiences they're great for helping local kids not get run over on the walk to school (and for closing down public spaces when Covid paranoia was at its highest in early 2020). Manhunts or major crimes? Not so much.

I'm struggling to get my head around how a tiny and/or part-time police force should be the (sole?) point of contact for an emergency data request when <drum roll> they're not even there for the majority of every 24h cycle.

"Dear $TelCo, you must immediately release location data for subscriber 1-800-555-2368, it's so important and urgent we haven't got time to find a judge. Since it's almost 4pm we're going off duty now and will be at our desks from 9am tomorrow. Yours, $PartTimeForce"

[coospep]

$someSmallTown might not even have a police department, how are you supposed to find out if the only one that comes up on the internet is fake?

[logifail]

Someone wearing a uniform turns up on your doorstep with a piece of paper that they claim is a search warrant. You say you want to talk to your lawyer. They say they're in a hurry and this is really important. At this point you decide to google the name of the person who signed the warrant, you phone the number you find on the internet, "Judge" Smith answers, so you let the "officer" into your house.

Really?