@QasimRashid I will look this is good. It’s having the presence of mind in that moment of panic when you know it’s all wrong & your life is in danger for real. Cuz of the fucking cops.

@QasimRashid Do you suppose this might become global at some point?

Obviously America has *some problems*, but those problems aren't unique to the States, and this seems hugely valuable!

@QasimRashid
If police try to confiscate your phone while on-call with your attorney, it seems like a whole legal kettle of worms for them.

@QasimRashid
This may be a necessity for #BlackMastodon... 👀

@QasimRashid @ZekeMD <imagine swearing> the police are not there to be judge, jury, and executioner.

It’s a fundamental issue with the police in the US. Their job is do deescalate and keep people safe. Not shoot someone asap “in case”.

I really hate what I’m going to say, but maybe citizens should have bodycams? I detest the very idea of constant recording, as it destroys privacy. But the police needs to be reformed and they aren’t all wearing them.

@QasimRashid That this isn’t free seems like another tax on the most vulnerable - or another wedge to increase inequality by increasing the life expectancy only of those who can pay.
What would it take to make this free?

It won’t be long before the lawyers are witnesses in murder trials; I wonder if accompanying lawsuits could provide funding to make the service free

@QasimRashid

@QasimRashid what a perfect solution to get lawyers even richer. And i just thought in my little mind that the next step in US civilization is that you are are legally obliged to have a loaded weapon at all time ready to fire when in public. but thats just my leftist european view.

@QasimRashid Wow, that's pretty awesome - definitely a good way to stop things from escalating when there is a attorney on the phone.

@QasimRashid this should be the most downloaded app online!

@QasimRashid Fantastic!!! How exciting. I hope it works.

@QasimRashid I will add #BlackMastodon and #BlackTwitter so other folks can see it.

Deescalate an interaction with a police officer with #TurnSignl app. Face time a lawyer on demand.

@QasimRashid Blame the NRA: Yet another consequence of the lunacy of US gun proliferation.

The original purpose of the 2nd amendment was to protect the ability of states to run slave patrols.

Having millions of people running round with firearms makes everyone less secure. It also means that the police are going to assume everyone they interact with may be armed.

@QasimRashid curious about your stats. I have looked at multiple sources and don't see "more than 1100" on any years in the last 10. Can you provide a resource where the numbers are what you state?

@QasimRashid Excellent idea!

@QasimRashid this sounds like an incredible idea. Wonder if it's affordable for regular folks.

@QasimRashid now that may just have saved someones life. outstanding

@QasimRashid that something like this is even necessary speaks volumes of how bad things are with law enforcement's lack of accountability for their actions.

@QasimRashid Imagine you are a police officer. You pull over someone for speeding. But when you go to the window, the guy refuses to talk to you, and you both have to wait for a lawyer on a phone app to join. How patient are officers going to be? Not very.

You are basically guaranteeing you will get a ticket, and there's some chance you'll be shot reaching for your cell phone, which the cop didn't ask you to do.

@QasimRashid Thank you so much for sharing this. I've gifted memberships to my friends who are most at risk. This is awesome. 🙏

@QasimRashid We need this in Canada!

@QasimRashid The fact that we need an app to protect us from the people who claim to "serve and protect" us

@QasimRashid sadly, I can totally see that backfiring completely.

@QasimRashid Brilliant!

@QasimRashid So, when I get pulled over, you want us to REACH FOR...?

What could go wrong?

@QasimRashid I am so very sad that this even has to exist. People should not be at an increased risk of being shot by police because of race and ethnicity. It’s absolutely saddening that this needed to exist. That said, I do hope this helps prevent harm or death.

@QasimRashid The idea is good, but the sheer fact that this is necessary is appaling.

Personally, I'd always #FilmCops and #LivestreamCops for everyone's safety, as they cannot be trusted.

Or has any #cop been sentenced for misbehaviour recorded with their #bodycam?

@QasimRashid Do we know what the percentage is?

@QasimRashid
As long as when you're pulling out or just holding your phone, the officers can't claim they thought it was a gun and shoot you for holding it.

@QasimRashid @RobW I don’t see a way to donate the membership to a person who needs it the most, rather than gift a specific person.

@QasimRashid maybe the root of the problem is that US police has to deal with armed citizens. I guess everybody knows the real solution to that. It's incredible US citizens aren't able to fix it

@QasimRashid
It may be shocking to you, but you have to dig deeper: according to a Washington Post database, 1084 people were shot by police in the last 12 months. 83% of them were armed, and about half of them were trying to flee. 21% had mental illnesses. I live in Oakland, California. It is a dangerous place, but not because of the police. In total, 40600 people die from gun violence in the US every year.

@QasimRashid More education for people as to exactly what they need to do or say (and what not to) during a traffic stop or other interaction with the law, sounds like a great idea.

Having someone they can ask questions like "is this legal" etc.. someone who can be a mediator in the situation.. *could* be a great thing.
Whatever can help increase mutual trust in those moments.

@QasimRashid if the police kill 1100 civilians annually, and there are about 2,300 homicides annually, what does that say about the police?

@QasimRashid, real quick: are there any competitors to this app doing the exact same thing or something similar?

This is the kind of service most society needs. Lack of: law enforcement oversight, basic rights literacy, and often, basic human decency can escalate any simple situation into disaster.

https://mastodon.social/@QasimRashid/109565373725941292

@QasimRashid probably worth noting ~2/3rd of those shot were carrying a gun. Of course police shoot an unprecedented amount of people when an unprecedented amount of people walk around with a gun...

@QasimRashid wow, while I do think it’s pretty sad that something like this is even needed (as a boring white mid aged male I cannot say that I really know what it feels like to fear for your life when being pulled over by the police) I must say this is an excellent idea 💡 and a a success if it only spares one life! ❤️ #blm

@QasimRashid Sad that it's needed, but this seems a great idea.

My only concern, and it's maybe something addressed already somewhere, is the potential risk of people being pulled over, trying to reach for their phone to open the app, and that physical movement itself being misinterpreted as them going for a weapon, thus accidentally escalating the situation.

Not sure if that's something that would need to be considered in the on-boarding process the first time the app is run?

@QasimRashid how is this helpful to communities in need if it costs $60 -??
That’s not a pubic service. That’s profiting off of a system that is already exploiting POC 🙃

@QasimRashid this feels so dystopian tbh. "Gift someone the gift of being less likely to be murdered by police for only $30/month!"

@QasimRashid I remember the local news going on and on and on and on about two cops being shot. They kept parroting copaganda about the extreme dangers that cops face and how they’re being killed at alarming numbers. Not once did they mention that cops usually die at a rate of about 50 per year while civilians are shot by cops at over 1,000. https://usafacts.org/articles/how-many-police-officers-die-in-the-line-of-duty/

@QasimRashid This happens only in USA - if it was not that serious an issue it would have been a joke making this app.

How come the "land of the free" cannot make things better?

@QasimRashid that's quite amazing as a service. Astounding also that it's even needed

@QasimRashid
Digital Green Book.

@QasimRashid Hey someone invented the idea I had a couple of years ago! I'm so glad! I hope this saves a lot of people.

@QasimRashid that's pretty awesome.

@QasimRashid
This is awesome!

@QasimRashid

Insane that something like this is needed, but great respect to the developers and the lawyers. Hopefully this will save lives.

@QasimRashid very cool

@QasimRashid When in Germany?

@QasimRashid Cant wait until this is in PA so I can get subscriptions for my kids.

@QasimRashid I like this idea.

@QasimRashid
I love the idea of this, but
1) what is the cost?
2) is it prohibitive?
3) Is there a case for funding this sort of thing with tax dollars in the same way the 6th works?

@QasimRashid @dangillmor good idea but doing this for profit does not sit right with me at all.

@QasimRashid
What a great idea and sadly, very necessary service. Thanks for sharing this. Our Police State needs all the pushback we can muster.

@QasimRashid TurnSignl looks very promising to save black lives when pulled over by police! That black Americans need such measures to help prevent them from being killed by our police speaks volumes about white privilege in America!

@QasimRashid Do you know if there is a place for someone to gift this to someone that cannot afford the app? I am a 70 yr old white woman and I do not fear being pulled over, but I know it is a real fear for many. I would like to help.

@QasimRashid Aboriginal people in Australia need something similar, the police here use them as punching bags, deny them medical assistance then do an internal review that finds no wrongdoing.

@QasimRashid Wonderful this exists. Terrible someone figured out how to monetize this terrible state of affairs.

@QasimRashid

USA civilians should be very angry at politicians and police administrations.

It comes as far as this. You need to call up a lawyer whenever there is any police interaction to make sure things don't get out of hand.

Means your police has gone rogue.

For an European, that is such an insane situation.

@QasimRashid this seems like a scam. Those who can afford the fee are on average a different pool from those at risk.

@QasimRashid This is an amazing idea. Thanks for posting!

@QasimRashid

Do us all a favour folks boost this ☝️☝️☝️a thousand times

@QasimRashid The crazy part is that there's need for such an app.

I largely view police in Norway as corrupt and not trust-able, but I trust 'em not to kill me.

@QasimRashid 👍💯👍

@QasimRashid the police will make sure to shoot your phone first.

@QasimRashid

So the cop just says, "Hang up the phone now, sir."

It's within their rights to have you refrain from calling anyone or talking to anyone while they are conducting an investigation. Your lawyer could be in the car with you and they'd still have the right to tell the two of you not to speak to each other.

Now, a law requiring the cops to stream video to a civilian review board during a stop might yield results. But, no, you don't get to call your lawyer during a stop.

Sorry.

@QasimRashid The fact that this needs to be a thing is something … I don't even have the words.