For Black Americans, getting pulled over by police can be a more than terrifying experience, particularly when alone and other witnesses are out of sight. Mbye Njie said he founded the Legal Equalizer app to add a layer of protection for drivers and to hold officers accountable by recording interactions and even dialing-in witnesses.
“That’s the goal of it, right, is to change behavior and so that if a police officer pulls you [over] for speeding, legitimately, cool. Give me my ticket, let me get on. Let’s not ask questions about where I’m going, where I’ve been, what I’m doing. Let’s not hold people longer,” Njie told Cheddar.
To get going on the app, five contacts are linked and will receive notifications to tune in to a live Zoom call of the police stop. A user can simply use their voice to activate the app or just hit a button.
Recording police interactions is also an available feature in the app. While they vary across the 50 states, Njie said laws from each have also been added into the app’s features because, in many instances, people are unaware of their rights.
“As long as they know people are watching them, hopefully then when they start pulling people over, then it’s for the reason they pulled them over and not for any other excuses or anything that can escalate to something more tragic,” Njie said.
Holding Police Accountable
When it comes to police accountability, with enough data collected from the stops, according to the Legal Equalizer founder, the app will be able to compile a background on officers who are targeting specific groups.
To make the app helpful for both drivers and authorities, Njie asked police departments across the country, “What do you want us to do when you pull us over?”
“Most of the police chiefs I’ve spoken to love it because they say, 'We do want our officer recorded because if we trained them properly and we did things properly, then this is exactly what we need,'” Njie added.
Though Njie said he started the app after personal experiences with police, it has morphed into a hub that can help in a number of different scenarios, including domestic violence situations and school shootings.
Up next for the app, when it comes to law enforcement interactions, Njie said the company is working to expand capabilities that can tie in a database of attorneys who could also be tapped to join in during an encounter, offer advice, and stand as legal witnesses.
Russia has defaulted on some of its foreign debt as a tidal wave of western sanctions threatens its economy. The credit ratings agency S&P has placed Russia under "selective default" after it tried to pay its latest obligations in rubles. Russia now has a 30-day grace period to resolve the issue, but Moscow is threatening to take legal action. George Seay, Annandale Capital's CEO, joined Cheddar to break down what this means, and how Russia defaulting on its debt might impact the global economy.
China's zero-covid policy may pose a wide-ranging threat to the local, and overseas economy. Analysts voicing concern on the strict lockdown in Shanghai as businesses and ports remain shuttered, potentially threatening the global supply chain. Shehzad H. Qazi, Managing Director, China Beige Book International joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss.
The consumer price index in March rose by 8.5% from a year ago, the fastest annual gain since December 1981 and one-tenth of a percentage point above the estimate. The rise in prices is driven by strong consumer demand, supply-chain disruptions and skyrocketing energy costs related to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Heather Boushey, Council of Economic Advisers Member for President Biden, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to give her reaction to the latest inflation numbers.
As China faces backlash from its response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. is strengthening its relationship with India. India is expected to become one of the top three economic powers in the world over the next 10 to 15 years, bolstered by technological advances and the manufacturing sector. Samir Kapadia, CEO and Principal of The Vogel Group, joined Cheddar to discuss the state of India's economy, and how it can only grow from here.
With the midterms just a few months away, record-setting inflation is weighing on the minds of voters. According to a recent CNN poll, a majority of voters said the state of the economy will play a key role in how they cast their ballot, and 55% said the same of inflation. Joseph Zeballos-Roig, Economic Policy Reporter for Insider, joined Cheddar to discuss how inflation could shape the 2022 midterms, and ultimately determine the balance of power in Congress.
The Brooklyn subway attack is the latest in a string of high-profile crimes that have plagued New York City. The surge in crime comes as cities across the country are trying to recover from the pandemic and bring life back to a sense of normal. Joseph Giacalone, professor at John Jay College and retired NYPD sergeant, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to explain what's behind the rise in crime, and what can be done about it.
After failing to take control of northern and western Ukraine, Russia is shifting its focus to the east. As both sides continue to pour reinforcements into the region, officials are expecting more conventional combat involving tanks, artillery, and aircraft that could shape the war's biggest battles yet. Doug Collins, a former Georgia congressman, joined Cheddar to discuss the change in Russia's tactics.
Catching you up on what you need to know on Apr 14, 2022, with the U.S. sending $800M to Ukraine, updates on the subway shooting in Brooklyn, Gov. Abbott putting a pause on his southern border truck inspections, migrants being bused from Texas to Washington, DC, the travel mask mandate extending until May 3, and more.
This March 19, 2018, file photo shows the Yelp app on an iPad in Baltimore. Yelp reports financial results Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019. The online review service will cover the travel expenses of employees who have to travel out of state for abortions, joining the ranks of major employers trying to help workers affected by restrictions being placed on the procedure in Texas and other states. The benefit announced Tuesday, April 12, 2022 covers Yelp's entire workforce of 4,000 employees, but seems most likely to have its biggest immediate impact on its 200 workers in Texas, which has passed a law banning abortions within the state after six weeks of pregnancy. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
