Denver to Pay Millions After Erroneous Raid Triggered by Misuse of Apple's Find My App

The city of Denver, Colorado, has been ordered to pay \$3.76 million in compensation and damages after a mistaken police raid on an elderly woman's home. The incident, which occurred in 2022, was triggered by the misuse of Apple's Find My app.

According to CNN, Denver police were attempting to locate a stolen truck containing guns, ammunition, and cash. They utilized Apple's Find My technology on an iPhone to track the vehicle's location.

However, the police targeted the wrong residence during their operation.

As a result of the erroneous raid, 78-year-old Ruby Johnson filed a lawsuit against the police department. The city will now pay Johnson \$3.76 million as compensation for the damages caused.

In addition, the officers involved, Detective Gary Staab and Sgt. Gregory Buschy, were also named as defendants in the lawsuit. While the Denver Police Department initially cleared both men of any wrongdoing, the jury ultimately disagreed.

The Role of Apple's Find My App

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) represented Johnson in the case. The lawsuit argued that the raid was based on a misinterpreted "location ping" from an iPhone's Find My app, for which the officers lacked adequate training and understanding.

The complaint stated that the police relied on a "Find My" ping from an iPhone 11, believed to be inside the stolen truck. However, the identified area encompassed portions of six other properties across four city blocks.

Tim Macdonald, Johnson's attorney, issued a statement saying, "We are disturbed by the lack of training or policy changes and hope that the amount of the punitive damages award will send a strong message that the police department must take seriously the constitutional rights of its residents."

The ACLU and the jury concluded that the two police officers who authorized the raid had no justification for singling out Johnson's house.

Furthermore, the officers are liable to pay nearly \$1.25 million each in punitive and compensatory damages. According to a Denver District Court clerk, the city has not yet filed an appeal against the verdict.