172536_CPCA_2020_Spring Magazine - Final | Page 54

Uber Teams Up with Law Enforcement for
Safer Communities
By Billy Kewell
Uber’s liaison
With an average of 18 million trips a day, Uber is one
of the most widely used transportation companies in
the world and one of the few technology companies
whose platform physically integrates into our communities. Data
from the Uber platform can and have helped law enforcement solve
a vast array of criminal investigations. Whether it is finding a wanted
fugitive, identifying a person who is targeting children, locating a
missing juvenile, or contacting a rider or driver who may have been
a witness to a violent crime, Uber is committed to working with law
enforcement to make the communities we operate in safer.
Uber continues to add new and innovative products to its platform
each and every day. As Uber grows and expands into new areas of
opportunity, it is paramount that safety continues to be a top priority,
working tirelessly to be good partners and citizens in all the cities
where we operate. Part of that effort was the creation of Uber’s Law
Enforcement Operations team. The team’s goal is to make Uber the
mobility platform law enforcement trusts the most via engagement,
partnership and response.
Uber Law Enforcement Operations
consists of two teams, Outreach and
Response. The Outreach team is
made up of former law enforcement
professionals turned regional
liaisons whose primary responsibility
is to engage and partner with law
enforcement at all levels. The team
achieves these objectives by educating
law enforcement on how Uber works
as a platform, the data captured, and how to
obtain that data during a criminal investigation or critical
incident. Outreach partners with law enforcement to create safety
initiatives that impact our platform and our communities.
The other crucial component to Law Enforcement Operations is
The Law Enforcement Response Team. Their primary responsibility
is to respond to law enforcement requests for information whether
it’s an emergency situation or a legal process request. This team
operates on 24/7 basis with personnel around the world working in
concert with one another to ensure you get the data you requested,
especially during an emergency situation.
54 CALIFORNIA POLICE CHIEF | www.californiapolicechiefs.org