NYPD Is Ending Its Contract With Tech Company That Assisted in Bobby Shmurda's Arrest

The NYPD will end its contract with Palantir Technologies, a tech company that has helped the department collect and analyze data.

Bob Shmurda attends 106 & Park at BET studio
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Bob Shmurda attends 106 & Park at BET studio

Bob Shmurda attends 106 & Park at BET studio

The tech company that helped put Bobby Shmurda behind bars is reportedly being uncooperative with the New York Police Department. And the disagreement could lead to a major legal battle.

According to a new report by Buzzfeed, the NYPD will end its contract with Palantir Technologies, a Silicon Valley startup that specializes in data analysis. Sources familiar with the matter told the news site the department has plans to stop using Palantir software by the end of the week. NYPD officials have reportedly asked the company to produce the data and generated analysis so the department can transfer it to their new program; however, the NYPD claims the company has not complied. Palantir representatives deny the claims and said they have been cooperative.

“Palantir is an open platform. As with all of our customers, their data and analysis are available to them at all times in an open and nonproprietary format,” a Palantir spokesperson said in a statement to Buzzfeed.

Palantir has had a contract with the NYPD for at least five years. The company has provided software that collects arrest records, license plate reads, parking tickets, and more. That data is then analyzed to determine links between crimes and suspects. It’s the same software that led to Shmurda’s 2014 arrest.

The NYPD has plans to roll out a new system called Cobalt, which includes software created by the department. Back in February, the NYPD reportedly asked Palantir for all of the analysis as well as a translation key so they could successfully transfer all the information into their own program; however, sources say Palantir refused to provide any translation, as they feared it would put their intellectual property at risk. The department then asked Palantir to hand over the data after the company had translated it; however, Palantir allegedly failed to cooperate.

According to the Buzzfeed, both parties have lawyered up, which suggests a legal battle could ensue.

Palantir has also worked with the FBI, CIA, and several branches of the military, as well as companies like BP, Home Depot, and Walmart.   

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