Police trial data extraction tech aimed at wearable devices
An Apple smartwatch.
Photo:
MICHAEL M. SANTIAGO
Police are trialling a new high-tech tool designed to extract data from people's wearable devices, such as smartwatches.
The tech, MOBILEdit from Prague-based company Compelson Labs, features on
a new 64-page list
of technological capabilities police have, are testing or have tried and parked.
Police said the new tool was only used on devices lawfully obtained under a search warrant or by someone consenting.
"This tool is particularly relevant for wearable devices such as smartwatches," the report said.
"The tool can also help classify the data/media found on the device, although this may be limited as NZ Police has other tools for analysing data during investigations."
The new capabilities list was the first police had issued in two years.
They have for years used another data extraction tool, Cellebrite - an Israeli technology
reportedly used by the FBI
to unlock the phone of the
shooter of Donald Trump last year
.
They are also trialling four other new technologies, including two types of artificial intelligence from Microsoft - though only on internal police information and not in any publicly connected way, so far.
One of the two, a cloud-based search tool, "may improve operational efficiency ... and reduce the likelihood of risks caused by poor information availability and awareness", the new report said.
"Strict keyword searching can lead to important information not being found when needed."
Controls were in place to " avoid data leakage to external parties".
Police have been adding high-tech data-mining tools to try to improve intelligence systems that assessments found were disjointed,
such as SearchX for frontline officers in 2023
.
The police commissioner ordered the first such tech stocktake in 2020 only after
RNZ exposed
they had trialled - without proper authorisation - an algorithm that searches social media for face matches, from US firm Clearview AI. The list was later made public under media pressure.
A fourth technology they were currently trialling was one that stitched drone footage together; and a fifth, in central Auckland alongside the council, was of devices that could share text, audio and images on a secure cell network "to improve response times" in the CBD.
Almost two dozen systems are already in use for investigations. Some such as BriefCam which scans CCTV footage, uses facial recognition, but not on live footage, say police.
They recently
cranked up their use of automated number plate recognition (ANPR) technology
from several hundred to around 2000 times a day, accessing commercial cameras and the software of two private companies to do so. Challenges in criminal court against the use of ANPR in evidence failed last year.
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