Getting Arrested? There’s an App for That
Posted on: 10/31/2011
Although the Occupy Wall Street protest has been non-violent, Oakland in particular has seen arrests by police and even tear gas used to disburse the crowds. Just days ago more than 100 protesters were arrested in a raid by police on one of the encampments. A software developer in Brooklyn, New York, Jason Van Anden, has an app for them and maybe for you too.
The arrests in Oakland and several other cities inspired Jason Van Anden to create an app for Android called “I’m Getting Arrested”. The app’s main function is to alert specific people you have designated of your arrest. The app’s page says, “Inspired by a real Occupy Wall Street incident. Free to the other 99%.”
You can send and SMS to your lawyer, bail bondsman, friends or family with a push of a button if you’re getting arrested.The app allows you to pre-program the numbers you wish to text and the message that they receive.
So far more than 10,000 people have downloaded the app from the Android Marketplace. The developer says he is working on a version for the iPhone which will be ready soon.