NYPD To Google: Stop revealing location of DWI checkpoints on Waze

Author: CBS New York
Published: Updated:
Waze

The NYPD has sent a cease and desist letter to Google, demanding that it remove alerts about DWI checkpoints on the Waze driving app.

Google purchased the popular crowd-sourced app in 2013.

“This letter serves to put you on notice that the NYPD has become aware that the Waze Mobile application, a community-driven GPS navigation application owned by Google LLC, currently permits the public to report DWI checkpoints throughout New York City and map these locations on the application,” the NYPD wrote.

Clearly, the Department thinks the internet giant is hindering its ability to keep city streets safe.

“Individuals who post the locations of DWI checkpoints may be engaging in criminal conduct since such actions could be intentional attempts to prevent and/or impair the administration of the DWI laws and other relevant criminal and traffic laws,” the letter continued. “The posting of such information for public consumption is irresponsible since it only serves to aid impaired and intoxicated drivers to evade checkpoints and encourage reckless driving. Revealing the location of checkpoints puts those drivers, their passengers, and the general public at risk.”

The letter comes after Google launched a new feature on its Google Maps app, alerting drivers to the location of police speed cameras.

“Safety is a top priority when developing navigation features at Google. We believe that informing drivers about upcoming speed traps allows them to be more careful and make safer decisions when they’re on the road,” a Google spokesperson told CBS2 in a statement.

Drivers say they started getting the new speed camera alert on Google Maps last week.

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