[EGreg]

Can you back this up with some links please?

And anyway, even if the LAPD may not be using anything more sophisticated than PredPol with growing their CCTV array, they will in the future. Think of it like this: right now the data is stored. In 5-10 years it will be cross correlated and profiles will be built on everybody. Thanks to the efficiency, the definition of crime will be expanded. Look at Singapore's law against gum wrappers. Look at local laws against homeless blankets. More to the point - the sites you surf can be cross correlated with the places you visit to indicate a reasonable belief that you may harm your kids and they will be taken away after you've been aubpoenaed in court.

20-30 years from now: court cases initiated by computer and suggested to the DA, based on cross correlated databases. Theories built and presented against you by the eloquent lawyer, with the jury thinking, "yeah this cant be all a coincidence." And a vastly expanded private prison complex.

All in all maybe not a bad thing, but people arent used to living like robots.

[rgbrenner]

Not only is omarforgotpwd right, but the article is completely wrong with regard to predictive policing. It was invented by the LAPD w/ the help UCLA researchers in 2008. It is not the result of military research, and was not used by the military until recently. LAPD has repeatedly been credited with it since 2008.. and I was not able to find a single link that backed up the article's claim that it came from the military.

And the program is far from futuristic. Basically, if a certain type of crime has happened in an area recently, the LAPD patrols the area more often. Big deal.

Here's a summary from the FBI:

http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/law-enforceme...

And here's a longer article about it (including the history) from RAND:

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/243830.pdf

[omarforgotpwd]

I don't really have much to say about the rest of the article, but just thought it was funny they mentioned my startup and quoted one my cofounders.

I will say though, based on my experience working with the LAPD, that there is significant red tape around everything. For example I know cops have wanted traffic camera footage for a while but are not allowed access.

There are all kinds of horrific things you can do with technology. We just have to make sure nobody builds them. I'll do my part.