B2 – Upper Intermediate
Due to some incidents of police brutality we’ve seen recently, iPhone is making it possible for users to automatically record any interactions with the police by saying “Hey Siri, I’m getting pulled over.”
Read this news and find out about this new iPhone shortcut that might come in handy when you find yourself in a sticky situation with police officers.
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/06/16/us/iphone-police-shortcut-record-trnd/index.html
Discussion Questions:
- What are your thoughts on this phone shortcut? Do you want a similar function on your phone?
- Share incidents of police brutality in your country. If it never happens there, what do you think are reasons it doesn’t occur?
- Why do you think some police get aggressive toward civilians sometimes?
- Talk about your experience being pulled over by cops.
- How are cops like in your country?
8 replies on “Tell Siri You’re Getting Pulled Over By the Police”
I think is a good idea to have an application like this in my pone, because it can help to decreace the abuses not only from cops but also of thieves or other similar situations.
In Spain, the police also is violent and, some times, also racist.
Maybe they feel themself more powerfull and most of the times, they can abuse with impunity. I think in police school should be included into study programs more conscience about this situation.
A friend with latin phenotype was a victim of a racist policeman in Spain, my friend was into his car, stop in a legal way, talking with a girlfriend and a policeman stop to ask him for his identification card in a violent way. My friend got ungry and claim him, so, the policeman get him a bill and my friend finished arrested.
In Spain the police can act with impunity.
Thank you for sharing your friend’s unfortunate encounter with that police officer.
Take a look at better words you can use in this sentence:
My friend got ungry and claim him, so, the policeman get him a bill and
my friendfinished arrested.> My friend got angry and complained to him. The policeman gave him a ticket and ended up getting arrested.
Thank you so much for all your efforts.
People already had the technology in their hands, I think this is not a big lap in innovation although it shows people’s concerns about authorities’ behaviour.
Good police practices should be a must in democracies, sadly we see constantly cases of brutality or abuse based on ideological or ethnical bias.
The authorities’ mission is to enforce best practices to keep people’s trust in the police, that’s not an easy task because people working for the police are neither better nor worse than the rest of us but they must show high moral standards.
Good to hear your answers to these questions! Impressive job in doing so.
Here is one sentence with a very few minor corrections:
Good police practices should be a must in democracies, sadly we see constantly cases of brutality or abuse based on ideological or ethnical bias.
> Good police practices should be a must in democratic countries. Sadly, we constantly see cases of brutality or abuse based on ideological or ethnical biases.
Keep practicing. Until your next writing exercise!
In Spain, hardly any case has been heard about police brutality. However, it doesn´t mean that there is no. There are good and bad police in all countries. From my point of view, that app could be useful. However, in my country, it would be more necessary in other situations. For instance, it could protect you against workplace exploitation and physical, sexual, and phycological abuse.
After the George Floyd death in the USA, one case of racism and police brutality was reported in Cataluña. As far as I know, it has been investigated and punished.
In my opinion, there is more police brutality in countries where weapons are allowed for civilians. It is because officers are more endangered. Also, it is crucial to have laws against racism and brutality. Officers should pass more phycological tests before wearing a police uniform.
To summarize, I have had pleasant experiences when I have been pulled over by cops. They were always polite and well mannered. The police must protect civilians in the best possible way and we should trust them.
Impressive way of expressing yourself! This is a very controversial subject for sure.
Here are some better expressions you can use in the following sentences:
After the George Floyd death in the USA, …
After George Floyd’s death in the USA, …
As far as I know, it has been investigated and punished.
> As far as I know, this case had been investigated and the police involved had been punished/sentenced.
It is because officers are more endangered.
It is because officers are subject to danger more.
You can definitely write well.
This app can be useful not just to record problems with the policemen who sometimes take an excess of power but also to prevent from robberies, attacks or even rapes. On the other hand, there will be people using this app for others purposes more harmful such as recording a disagrement or argument between a couple or colleague and extracting the general context from the recording to take advantage from it before a third party.
In my country, it is inusual incidents with the police. They know that anything they do out of their duty can be recorded and broadcasted in the media along the country. What’s more, there are usually more cases of injured polices than civilians in riots. The arms are only permitted in the most extreme cases.
In my opinion, the police’s aggressivity is a matter of education. Some of them feel themselves superior to the rest just because they carry a pistol. If it is added up that they have been taught under a racism culture, then it is easy for us to realize (but not to understand) their behaviour with some kind of people.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this matter. Good to hear this is not something that happens in your country.
Please look at better words you can use in this sentence:
This app can be useful not just to record problems with the policemen who sometimes take an excess of power but also to prevent from robberies, attacks or even rapes.
> This app can be useful not just to record problems with the policemen who sometimes abuse their power but also to prevent robberies, attacks, and even rapes.
Keep on practicing your writing skills through this exercise.