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Police Used Cell Tower Logs To Text 7,500 Possible Crime Witnesses (www.cbc.ca)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the unlimited-roaming dept.

"Investigators are calling it a 'digital canvass' -- the high-tech equivalent of knocking on thousands of doors for information," reports the CBC, describing how an Ontario police department sent text messages to 7,500 potential witnesses of a homicide using phone numbers from a nearby cell tower's logs. Police obtained the numbers through a court order, and sent two texts -- one in English, and another one in French -- asking recipients to "voluntarily answer a few simple questions..." Slashdot reader itamblyn writes: On one hand, this seems like the natural progression from the traditional approach of canvassing local residents by putting up flyers and knocking on doors. On the other hand, I think one can reasonably ask -- Are we OK with this approach...? Do we want this to happen whenever there is a major crime?
The article adds that the police force "will keep the numbers on file until the killing is solved, officers said at a news conference on Wednesday... Investigators will also consider calling the numbers of people who don't respond voluntarily, but they would be required to obtain another court order to do so."

3 of 153 comments (clear)

  1. fucking hell that's horrendous by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Canvassing door to door involves public knowledge and eyes. Anyone can do it.

    I, a civilian, can't just fish for cell logs when I want to contact people who were in a particular area at a particular time.

    This sort of shit is why I wouldn't offer witness testimony to the police - no matter how much sympathy I have for a victim, I am not in the slightest bit convinced that the police have society's interests at heart, and would rather they wasted time on a more difficult investigation than receive help.

    1. Re:fucking hell that's horrendous by BlackPignouf · · Score: 5, Interesting

      +1.
      I was a witness once, never again. The police took a picture of me and send it to the victim, just to make sure I wasn't the culprit. She said "maybe", so I spent a night in a cell. You don't want to be falsely accused of something just because the local police station wants to improve the stats and you're the only person they could find who was near the crime scene.
      ACAB.

  2. Re:Obtained through court order by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Here's the problem. On a local station (I live in that city), they said that the police were well aware that they could be texting the murderer by doing this. If nothing comes through, they may seek another court order to get names and addresses and interview everyone who did NOT reply to the text message.

    I have a problem with that part.