What it does

Ever feel like it’s 1984 and George Orwell was right? Big Brother’s out to get you, beat you down, spy on you, wiretap and waterboard you. And all under the auspices of certain high ranking government offices. It’s a new era. Technology allows for less privacy, on the one hand, but it also allows for more accountability (Eliott Spitzer, anyone?) on the other. This is true of the new website aptly titled, “RateMyCop”. RateMyCop, to the chagrin and ire of the Arizona Police Department, aims to let you, the citizen, in on the performance of our nation’s finest. One cop at a time. Specifically, the site compiles information on an indivdual cop’s performance including the good and bad and indifferent bits. It also lets users share their own personal experiences with the cops. No photos, addresses or other personal information is included other than actual names. The site is publicly accessible to citizen or cop and it doesn’t cost a thing.

In their own words

“Welcome to RATEMYCOP.com, the online watchdog organization serving communities nationwide. RATEMYCOP.com is not affiliated with any government agency; we are an independent, privately managed organization.”

Why it might be a killer

RateMyCop provides some much needed transparency to one of the most hated groups in the States: cops. It provides a chance for communities to express anger and gratitude. It’ll surely peak anyone’s interest.

Some questions

Will RateMyCop be abused? Anyone can sign up and add good or bad reviews. Will this make the site trustworthy?

Updates