Police Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

New iPhone App Allows Users to "Automatically" Record Interactions with Police

Siri Shortcuts allows users to do a variety of things on their phone with very little prompting by the phone's user.

October 4, 2018
2 min to read


Siri Shortcuts allows users to do a variety of things on their phone with very little prompting by the phone's user.

"Shortcuts includes over 300 built-in actions and works with many of your favorite apps including Contacts, Calendar, Maps, Music, Photos, Camera, Reminders, Safari, Health as well as any app that supports Siri Shortcuts," according to the iTunes App Store.

Ad Loading...

The general principle is that you can tell your phone to turn on the lights in the living room, or other relatively mundane tasks.

However, one enterprising man in Arizona had something more serious in mind when he created the Police shortcut.

Robert Peterson said in a post on Reddit that his app "pauses any music that may be playing, turns down your brightness, turns on Do Not Disturb, and sends a message to the contact of your choosing letting them know you’re being pulled over and what your current location is. It then opens your front camera to a video recording so you have a video record of being pulled over. Once you stop the recording it sends a copy of the video to a contact you specify, puts the brightness back up, and turns off Do Not Disturb."

"It seemed to me that if you're getting pulled over it couldn't hurt to have a recording of the incident," Petersen told Business Insider. "The police these days in many places have body cams, so this could be the civilian equivalent."

More Technology

Fans cheer at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium during a football game at The University of Alabama.
TechnologyApril 23, 2026

The University of Alabama Rolls Out Couter-Drone Technology

The University of Alabama is using D-Fend Solutions as a counter-drone technology supplier for campus and game-day airspace security. The University integrates D-Fend’s EnforceAir into its Emergency Operations Center (EOC), utilizing a unified command framework to collaborate with local, state, and federal partners during major events.

Read More →
Man working in front of multiple computer screens.
TechnologyApril 22, 2026

Motorola Solutions Now Part of the Cyber Threat Alliance

Motorola Solutions is now part of the Cyber Threat Alliance, the first formally organized nonprofit group of cybersecurity practitioners that work together in good faith to share threat information and improve global defenses against advanced cyber adversaries.

Read More →
Bar chart showing what police departments spend budget on for security.
TechnologyApril 22, 2026

Genetec 2026 State of Physical Security Report Reveals Public Safety Priorities & Challenges

Survey results from Genetec’s 2026 State of Physical Security Report highlight the demand for integrated systems that improve response times and reduce investigative workload. Nearly nine in 10 respondents said they use security data to help keep officers safe.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Tinted blue background image of traffic with inset images for an ALPR camera, a police dispatcher, and a logo for Flock Safety.
TechnologyApril 16, 2026

Flock Safety Introduces Audit Assistance, Its Latest Trust & Compliance Tool

Audit Assistance is the latest tool in the Flock Trust & Compliance suite, a first-of-its-kind set of products and services that provides communities with guardrails and customization for accountability, transparency, and responsible use of the Flock platform.

Read More →
image of one closed laptop and one open laptop with Toughbook logo on screen, all against a blue gradient background
TechnologyApril 16, 2026

Panasonic Connect Launches the Toughbook 56

The Toughbook 56, the latest rugged laptop from Panasonic Connect, delivers enhanced performance, refined design, new levels of security, and power-efficient workflows in demanding environments.

Read More →
Collection of traffic control signs against a city backdrop and logos for Radarsign and Sourcewell.
TechnologyApril 16, 2026

Radarsign Awarded Sourcewell Contract Expanding Access to Traffic Safety Solutions

Radarsign’s traffic safety portfolio, including radar speed signs, flashing beacon systems, and more, are now available through Sourcewell purchasing contracts.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Rooftop view off a drone detection devise with two small rubber antennas with an view overlooking a large domed event venue.
TechnologyApril 9, 2026

D-Fend Solutions’ EnforceAir C-UAS System Secures Key Event with RF-Cyber Counter-Drone Technology

D-Fend Solutions deployed its EnforceAir C-UAS system in support of local police to help secure a 19,000-attendee event, leveraging its non-jamming approach to keep communications and authorized drones operational while safeguarding against rogue drone threats.

Read More →
Graphic showing four priorities for secure enterprise cloud adoption and a logo for Genetec.
TechnologyApril 2, 2026

Genetec Highlights Why Governance Defines Secure Cloud Adoption in Enterprise Physical Security

With World Cloud Security Day on April 3, Genetec outlines how enterprises can strengthen resilience as they modernize physical security in the cloud.

Read More →
police car geotab thumbnail for services whitepaper
SponsoredApril 1, 2026

A police department’s guide to fleet management and vehicle health

Today’s police departments face rising fleet costs and must stay ready to respond, no matter the call. In this eBook, get powerful insights to enhance your police fleet’s cost-efficiency, reliability and performance through data-driven tactics.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
An automated license plate reader mounted on rear trunk of a car.
TechnologyMarch 26, 2026

Public Safety Surveillance Technology: Built on Compliance and Trust

ALPR solutions provider Leonardo explains why leveraging technology for safety must never come at the expense of constitutional rights or community trust. Every action within an ALPR system should be logged in a tamper-proof audit trail with query records of who accessed what data, when, and for what purpose.

Read More →