The use of predictive policing technology may result in a violation of your civil rights.
The Los Angeles Police Department has a cutting edge program that most of its residents know nothing about: Operation LASER (Los Angeles Strategic Extraction and Restoration). Using technology combined with past crime and arrest data, the LAPD has engaged a data analysis firm to give individuals scores. The higher your point total, the more likely it is that you will appear on the LAPD’s “Chronic Offender Bulletin.” This bulletin is a list of people that Operation LASER says are at the highest risk of re-offending — and should therefore be watched more closely. The problem, according to a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer, is that the program may actually violate citizens’ constitutional rights.
A group of activists is suing the city of Los Angeles over this program, after the city failed to respond to a public records request as to how Operation LASER identifies (1) potential criminals, (2) criminals, and (3) areas where crime is likely to occur. These activists have also demanded to know what factors are used in the Operation LASER program — in other words, how exactly people are scored and ultimately end up on the Chronic Offender Bulletin. When the LAPD refused to comply with the request for information, the groups, led by Stop LAPD Spying, filed a lawsuit.
In addition to using technology to supposedly predict who will commit crime, Operation LASER allows police to determine the location of people likely to commit crimes, using tools such as cell phone trackers and license plate scanners. This information is combined with other data and technology created by the CIA to allow law enforcement to pinpoint precise locations and find people who may commit crimes more easily.
While the LAPD believes that Operation LASER reduces the amount of violent crime in the city, others disagree. According to a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer, the tactics used by the LAPD as part of this program — including increased surveillance of specific individuals who they believe may be more likely to commit a crime — the chances of being wrongly accused of a crime are greatly increased. After all, if the police believe that a person is more likely to commit a crime (according to technology), and they then observe that person constantly on the belief that he or she is going to commit a crime, the likelihood that the police will find some wrongdoing is much greater than if the police used traditional policing tactics.
Using Operation LASER as a way to justify surveilling people who have been released from prison or jail — those who have served their time and paid their debt to society — is also troubling. While these individuals may or may not be more likely to commit a crime than other citizens, the constant pressure of being under suspicion may make it more difficult to move forward with their lives.
Finally, the secretive nature of Operation LASER is concerning. The LAPD has not provided information on the type of data that they are using, or what controls they are using to ensure that people are not mistakenly placed on the Chronic Offender Bulletin. Without such assurances, it is hard to determine if the program is violating citizens’ constitutional rights.
While the legality of Operation LASER is still an open question, if you have been charged with a crime in Los Angeles, you will need an aggressive Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer who can challenge the use of this program or other questionable law enforcement tactics. Contact the Chambers Law Firm today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com to schedule a free initial consultation and learn more about how we can help.
