The Cost of Misusing Apple’s Find My App: Denver Pays $3.76 Million in Damages
Apple’s Find My app recently made headlines in Denver, US, but not for the right reasons. The city had to pay a hefty price of $3.76 million in compensation and damages due to a wrongful raid conducted by the police in 2022.
The incident involved the police mistakenly ransacking the home of a 78-year-old woman, Ruby Johnson, in search of a stolen truck and weapons. The Denver police used Apple’s Find My technology on an iPhone to track the stolen vehicle, but they ended up targeting the wrong house.
As a result of the botched raid, Johnson filed a lawsuit against the police, leading to the city having to pay her a $3.76 million award. This case also highlighted the individual responsibility of Detective Gary Staab and Sgt. Gregory Buschy, who were defendants in the lawsuit.
Role of Apple’s Find My App in the Incident
According to a report by CNN, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) represented Johnson in the case and pointed out the lack of training among the police officers regarding the use of the Find My app. The officers relied on a location ping from an iPhone 11, which led them to mistakenly target Johnson’s house.
Tim Macdonald, Johnson’s attorney, expressed concern over the incident and emphasized the need for proper training and policy changes within the police department. The ACLU and the jury found that the officers had no valid reason to single out Johnson’s home for the raid.
In addition to the city’s payout to Johnson, the two officers involved in the raid were ordered to pay nearly $1.25 million each in punitive and compensatory damages. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting the constitutional rights of all residents.
While the city of Denver has not filed an appeal against the verdict, this incident sheds light on the potential consequences of misusing technology and the need for law enforcement to be held accountable for their actions.
