Statewatch | France: Ban on predictive policing needed
www.statewatch.org
As part of a European initiative coordinated by Statewatch, La Quadrature du Net has published an English translation of its report on the state of predictive policing in France. In light of the information gathered, and given the dangers these systems carry when they incorporate socio-demographic data as a basis for their recommendations, La Quadrature calls for a ban.
  • RTM (Risk Terrain Modelling), a “situational prevention” software program used by the Paris Police Prefecture to target intervention zones based on “environmental” data (presence of schools, shops, metro stations, etc.)
  • PredVol, a software developed in 2015 within the government agency Etalab, tested in Val d’Oise in 2016 to assess the risk of car thefts, abandoned in 2017 or 2018
  • PAVED, a software developed from 2017 by the Gendarmerie and trialed from 2018 in various departements to assess the risk of car thefts or burglaries. In 2019, shortly before its planned nationwide rollout, the project was “paused”
  • M-Pulse, previously named Big Data of Public Tranquility, developed by the city of Marseille in partnership with the company Engie Solutions to assess the suitability of municipal police deployments in urban public space
  • Smart Police, an application that include a “predictive” module and that is developed by French startup Edicia which, according to its website, has sold this software suite to over 350 municipal forces.

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