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takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

NYPD asks Google to scrap Waze's DUI checkpoints [engadget.com]

The NYPD has sent Google a cease-and-desist letter, asking it to axe a Waze feature that allows users to mark cops' locations [engadget.com] on the navigation app. Based on the letter first seen by Streetsblog NYC [streetsblog.org] and CBS New York [cbslocal.com], authorities believe the feature is making it harder to enforce the law and keep the roads safe. The NYPD sent the cease-and-desist just a couple of weeks after Waze debuted [androidpolice.com] speed camera notifications, but the cops' letter mostly focused on the fact that the ability allows users to give each other a heads-up about sobriety checkpoints.

[...] [Based] on the statement it provided to NYT, [Google] doesn't have any intention to give in to the NYPD's demand. It told the publication that safety is a top priority for the company and that "informing drivers about upcoming speed traps allows them to be more careful and make safer decisions when they're on the road."

Also at Gizmodo [gizmodo.com].

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