App Logs Videos of Police Encounters in Case They're Ever Deleted From Your Phone and Automatically Sends Them to the ACLU

In light of more and more people recording police on their cellphones, several chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union are rolling out "Mobile Justice" apps, a tool that records video and sends it to the group for review.

The ACLU said videos sent in through the app, which is available for users in California, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska and Oregon, will be reviewed by its attorneys if they believe an incident report filed along with the footage holds what they believe a civil rights violation. The app also ensures a record is kept of the video, even if it's deleted from a user's phone.

Watch this promo video for the app:

Here's another video that explains what the app can do:

In addition to the ability to record and automatically send video to the ACLU, the app will also include an overview of an individual's rights if they are stopped by police.

Though the ACLU said the incident reports filed are confidential, the videos recorded with the Mobile Justice app could be shared "with community organizations or the general public to help call attention to law enforcement abuse and protect civil rights and civil liberties."

“Mobile Justice can be an effective and empowering tool for Missourians who want to exercise their right to record the police,”  Sarah Rossi, ACLU of Missouri director of advocacy and policy, said in a statement earlier this week when this chapter released its iOS version of the app. “It also offers a handy ‘Know Your Rights’ section with a link to our website.”

Watch KPIX-TV's report about the app released in California this week as well:

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Front page image via 1000 Words/Shutterstock.com.