Uber says it won't change its driver screening process following Kalamazoo shootings

Two days after an Uber driver allegedly shot and killed six people in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Uber's chief security officer said Monday that the company does not plan to change its screening process for drivers.

Joe Sullivan said during a conference call with reporters that since the driver, 45-year-old Jason Dalton, did not have a criminal record, a more thorough background check "in this case" would not have made a difference. "I don't think we will change our screening practices," he added, since "no background check would have flagged this driver." Uber says that Dalton, who also worked as an insurance adjuster, cleared his background check on Jan. 25, and before Saturday night picked up about 100 fares. He had a high rating, at 4.73 out of 5.

Passengers say Dalton picked up fares after allegedly shooting people at random in Kalamazoo. He was ordered held without bond Monday on murder charges. Critics say the Uber should conduct fingerprint checks on drivers, but Margaret Richardson, a member of Uber's Safety Advisory Board, told NBC News it's a "false premise to say that fingerprint checks are more accurate." The fingerprints usually come from law enforcement agencies, she said, and because some are from people who were arrested but never charged with anything, the checks "often include false positives."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up