Denver Pays Millions After Erroneous Police Raid Based on Apple's Find My App Data

The city of Denver, Colorado, has been ordered to pay $3.76 million in compensation and damages after its police department conducted a flawed raid based on information from Apple's Find My app. The incident, which occurred in 2022, involved the wrongful search of an elderly woman's home in pursuit of a stolen truck and firearms.

According to reports, the Denver police were attempting to locate a stolen truck containing guns, ammunition, and cash. They utilized Apple's Find My app on an iPhone to track the vehicle's supposed location. However, the app led them to the wrong residence.

The Raid and its Aftermath

The misplaced raid prompted 78-year-old Ruby Johnson to file a lawsuit against the police department. As a result, the city is now obligated to pay Johnson a settlement of $3.76 million.

In addition to the city's liability, the officers involved – Detective Gary Staab and Sgt. Gregory Buschy – were also named as defendants in the lawsuit. Although the Denver police had initially cleared both men of any wrongdoing, the jury ultimately disagreed.

ACLU Intervention and Lack of Training

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) took on Johnson's case, arguing that the raid was based on a misinterpretation of the iPhone's Find My app data. The lawsuit highlighted the officers' lack of understanding and training regarding the technology.

The complaint stated that the police relied on a "Find My" ping from an iPhone 11, which was likely still inside the stolen truck. However, the location identified by the app encompassed parts of six different properties across four city blocks.

Johnson's attorney, Tim Macdonald, expressed concern over the lack of training and policy changes within the police department. He stated, "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 officers had no justifiable reason to target Johnson's house specifically. Furthermore, the officers are individually responsible for paying nearly $1.25 million each in punitive and compensatory damages. As of now, the city has not filed an appeal against the verdict, according to a Denver District Court clerk.