Tell Siri “I’m getting pulled over” next time you talk to police in Fort Lauderdale for an automatic video of your interaction
Back in 2018, Apple launched a new feature for Siri called “Shortcuts.” With Shortcuts, people can simplify their commands to Siri to a simple word or phrase, making Siri function quicker and with more ease.
One shortcut that became popular was saying “Hey Siri, I’m getting pulled over.” This shortcut would then record your interaction with the police and send it directly to a predestined contact, along with your current location.
Now, this shortcut is back in the spotlight amid the ongoing protests throughout the country in response to the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck.
People have taken to social media to share how to use this shortcut as a way to document the arrests happening while fighting for racial justice.
How do I install the “I’m being pulled over” shortcut?
- Download or open the shortcuts app on your phone.
- Next, you have to run another shortcut while in the app. Click on “Gallery” in the bottom, right corner to see the other shortcuts available. It does not matter what you chose, but you need to have one completed before moving on.
- Go to settings and click on “shortcuts.” Tap the button and then turn “allow untrusted shortcuts” on.
- Download the “I’m getting pulled over” shortcut here – click on this link to the shortcut and hit “get shortcut”.
- Once it opens, scroll down and click “add untrusted shortcut.”
- Add a contact who will receive the video and your location once in use and click done.
Video explanation and demonstration of “I’m getting pulled over”:
What will the “I’m being pulled over” shortcut do?
Once the shortcut is installed, you activate it by saying:
“Hey Siri, I’m getting pulled over”
The program will automatically turn off any music that was playing on your phone. It will lower your phone screen’s brightness and put your phone on “do not disturb,” which will block any incoming calls and messages.
The shortcut will send a text to the person you entered as your contact saying that you got pulled over. The text will also share your location.
Then, it will start to video record your interaction with police using the front-facing camera. Once the interaction is over, the program will send the video to your contact and will save to either your iCloud or Dropbox.
Why is the “I’m being pulled over” shortcut important?
The creation of this shortcut emphasizes the fact that you always have a right to film and record all interactions with police and law enforcement. This right is protected by the first amendment.
If you end up being arrested or detained or experience any police brutality – any video recordings can be used as evidence. Even in a more routine traffic stop, the recordings can help prove your innocence if the police lie or exaggerate their reports.
When police interact with anyone, they are required to turn on their body cameras in order to film what is going on. In fact, you even have the right to ask the police to turn on their body cameras. When the police and a defendant disagree about what happened, a body camera is the middle line that reveals the truth about the incident. Sometimes, body camera footage can be the difference between a criminal charge or the dismissal of a criminal case.
Unfortunately, not all police actually turn on their body cameras when interacting with citizens. They may rely on dash cameras, located in police vehicles, instead. Dash cameras can lack audio or even miss the visuals of the entire situation. Police officers are also responsible for uploading their body camera footage, leading to an abnormal amount of user error resulting in loss of footage.
Learn more about body cameras on law enforcement here.
Because of these caveats, it is always best to video record your interactions with police on your own device to ensure that the situation will be captured. Whether using the “I’m getting pulled over” shortcut or the simple video feature itself, you have the right to record the police and use it to prove your innocence.
New Way to record police: Alexa, I’m getting pulled over
In September 2020, Ring’s new car camera, Car Alarm and Car Connect debuted a feature to boost driver and vehicle safety both when you’re on the road and especially for if or when you get pulled over by police.
An Amazon product, the Ring Car Cam is a dual-camera dashcam that has Alexa as a vice assistant. It records both the road and your car’s cabin as you drive – which in the case of an accident or even a fender bender could be a great asset. There are also emergency crash assistance protocols that help ensure you’re safe after an accident.
The Car Cam Also has a traffic stop mode. In this mode, it records interactions with police, etc. and saves the audio and video to the cloud. All you have to do as the driver is say: “Alexa, I’m getting pulled over,” and the Car Cam will verbally communicate that it’s recording and streaming the content to the cloud. People will also be able to select an option that notifies a list of driver-specified emergency contacts of your traffic stop.
The Car Cam also has other helpful features, such as activating even when parked if a bump or loud noise is detected. For retailing at $200, this seems like a feasible option for people in Florida to access a variety of features — and a way to very easily record interactions with the Fort Lauderdale or South Florida police without needing to install any shortcuts or apps on your phone.
RELATED –> What Police & Law Enforcement Agencies use Body Cameras in South Florida?
Reach out today to learn more about recording your interactions with the police and how it can help, or to schedule a free consultation with Rossen Law Firm.
- Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense Office: 754-206-6200
- Sunrise Criminal Defense Office: 754-999-2499
- Boca Raton Office: 561-880-8181
