MN Witness

Community evidence documentation for Minnesota. Pre-buffer recording captures what happened before you hit record.

Why this exists

When the FBI excluded the Minnesota BCA from investigating federal law enforcement incidents, the Hennepin County Attorney's Office launched a public evidence submission portal.

This app makes it easier for witnesses to capture more, preserve integrity, and submit securely.

Pre-Buffer

Captures 30-120 seconds before you hit record

Evidence-Grade

SHA-256 hash + GPS + timestamp at capture

Local-First

Your footage stays on your device until you decide

Try it now

Step 1: Get Expo Go

Free app that runs MN Witness on your phone

Step 2: Open App

In Expo Go, tap "Enter URL manually" and paste:

exp://u.expo.dev/aaf9d973-108a-4e93-9a79-6126c96fd7b4?channel-name=preview

Direct APK (Android)

Native build, no Play Store or Expo Go needed

Building...

TestFlight (iOS)

Native build with full background recording

Coming soon

Features

Pre-Buffer Recording

Continuously captures in background. When you hit record, you get what already happened plus forward.

Evidence Integrity

SHA-256 hash, GPS coordinates, timestamp, device info. Chain-of-custody ready.

Multiple Backup Paths

Google Drive, iCloud/Files share sheet, or your own server via webhook.

Know Your Rights

Minnesota-specific legal info. Recording rights, one-party consent, ICE encounters.

No Account Required

Works completely offline. No tracking, no analytics, no centralized storage.

Open Source

MIT licensed. Audit the code, fork it, contribute.

Resources

This app is not legal advice. Recording laws vary by jurisdiction. Minnesota is a one-party consent state for audio recording. You have a First Amendment right to record police in public. Consult an attorney for your specific situation.