The cops are on the CHEAT! Officers of the law admit to falsifying their location on the Waze sat nav software used by cars to slow down before a speed trap.q
Officers of the law have disclosed the devious strategy they employ on the navigation software Waze.
They mark sites they patrol, even if they are not stationed there, with a pin.
The police think that this will inspire motorists to slow down when no pedestrians are present.
The police have acknowledged to using a flaw in the Waze navigation app to encourage motorists to slow down and drive more cautiously.
Surrey Police Force stated on Twitter that officers ‘put police markers on Waze at random spots’ during patrols to inform other motorists of their presence.
The application functions as a free GPS navigation tool, but it also allows users to drop a pin on the position of parked police cars, accidents, traffic cameras, and even potholes.
This notifies other motorists in the area of potential hazards as they approach the same place, allowing them to choose an alternate route or adjust their driving style to accommodate the conditions.
However, by listing areas they simply drive through on the server, Surrey Police are deceiving motorists into believing they are about to pass a stopped police officer when in fact there is no car there.
Surrey Police Force stated through Twitter that officers ‘put police markers on Waze at random spots’ to inform other motorists that they are in the vicinity.
The program functions as a free GPS navigation tool, but it also allows users to pinpoint police cars, accidents, traffic cameras, and even potholes.
The objective is to encourage drivers, particularly those who speed, to slow down and exercise greater caution on the road.
On Monday, the Surrey Road Policing Twitter page published a screenshot of the police pin drop function on Waze with the following caption: “We never drop random police markers on Waze while on patrol, never.”
A winking emoji was used in the tweet to imply that the reverse was true.
In a separate response to a question regarding whether more than one person would need to point out a police car for it to appear on the app, the account said, “Double crewed car = two phones.”
Drivers criticized the message, stating that the cheeky strategy is not in keeping with the spirit of the application.
However, technically not false, Surrey Police responded. We are present at that same moment in time… Nowhere on Waze does it state that the patrol must remain stationary.
By listing areas they simply drive through on the website, Surrey Police are deceiving motorists into believing they are about to pass a stationary police car when in fact there is no car there.
Typically, the warning lasts between 10 and 20 minutes, according to Surrey Police, and that equates to “10 minutes of safer drivers” on the roads.
Cars that pass the area later have the opportunity to indicate that the car or cops are no longer present, deleting the message from the server.
How does Waze work?
Users enter their destination in the search bar and utilize the application as they would any other navigating system.
If the app is open while driving, the user’s phone will passively contribute to traffic and road data; however, a user can select to send road reports on accidents, police cars, speed cameras, and other hazards.
This alerts other users who are approaching the area.
However, Surrey Police stated that the average duration of the warning is between 10 and 20 minutes, noting that this represents “10 minutes of safer drivers” on the roads.
Among the backlash were pleas to really boost traffic police, as opposed to “lying” and “changing computer data” to “deceive others.”
The Twitter account answered, “We are not responsible for the huge cuts to police funds over the years that destroyed traffic units across the country.”
The number of equivalent road police officers in England and Wales has decreased by 22 percent over the previous seven years, from 5,237 in March 2015 to 4,102 in March 2022, according to data from the Home Office.
Edmund King, president of the British motoring club AA, described Surrey Police’s methods as “the equivalent of a modern speed camera sign.”
“With five deaths per day on our roads, it is tough to argue against police techniques that may slow down cars and save lives,” he stated.
In the interim, the police must do all they can to keep the roads safer, even though more police officers in cars would be ideal for reducing overall crime.
Waze has over 50 million users in 200 countries and is expanding rapidly in popularity, especially since Google reportedly acquired it for £1 billion in 2013.
Waze has over 50 million users in 200 countries and is expanding rapidly in popularity, especially since Google reportedly acquired it for £1 billion in 2013.