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The head of the FBI believes that a spike in violent crime in many cities may be due to officers' fears of showing up on Internet videos confronting suspects.
FBI Director James Comey told reporters Wednesday that a "viral video effect" is leading to less aggressive policing that "could well be at the heart" of an alarming increase in murders in many cities, according to an account recorded by the New York Times.
"There's a perception that police are less likely to do the marginal additional policing that suppresses crime -- the getting out of your car at 2 in the morning and saying to a group of guys, 'Hey, what are you doing here?'" he told reporters.
Comey's remarks came after he was briefed on rising crime rates in more than 40 cities during the first quarter of 2016. The director did not reveal specific statistics, and the FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
James Comey, welcome to the panopticon you dragged the rest of us into. It's rather a double-edged sword, isn't it?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 13 2016, @11:16AM
Well, at least we've moved on from blaming video games for societal mayhem. Let's start an office pool to wager on the next bogeyman.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Friday May 13 2016, @05:03PM
I've got my wager on "people who disable tracking on their tech devices".
(Score: 1) by Osamabobama on Friday May 13 2016, @06:55PM
Here's a recap, so we're all starting with the same info going into this pool. (Please help with the details...)
1. Communists
2. Drugs
3. Dungeons and Dragons
4. Video Games
5. Drugs
6. ???
7. Profit
8. Mexicans
9. Terrorists
10. Muslims
11. Encryption
Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday May 14 2016, @12:25AM
You left out rock and roll and jazz music!