New i-Phone Feature Could Have Police Coming To See You

A new safety feature installed in the latest models of the Apple i-phone could actually have police coming to check on your safety.

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According to Apple Support, "Crash Detection", which works on iPhone and Apple Watch models: iPhone 14 or later (all models) with iOS 16 or later and Apple Watch Series 8 or later, Apple Watch SE (2nd generation), and Apple Watch Ultra or later with watchOS 9 or later, will contact emergency services in the event the phone detects what it deems a crash.

The intent of this feature could save countless lives when minutes count and a driver could be incapacitated and unable to contact emergency services on their own behalf.

However, an unintended consequence of the feature has recently been discovered by the DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Department and it's become somewhat an annoying issue.

Taking to their Facebook page, the DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Department has issued a request of all iphone owners that could prevent a waste of man hours and unnecessary dispatching of deputies.

Here's what they wrote:

Just a little PSA since we have gotten a couple of calls. Apple iPhones now have a feature to detect if you have been in a car crash called "Crash Detection." If you happen to drop your phone it can sometimes trigger this feature and call 911. The bottom line is, be sure to answer if we call you back. We fully understand that mistakes happen. Half of our phone screens over here are cracked as well! But, we don't want to dispatch a deputy every time someone drops their phone. If it triggers, a dispatcher will call to ensure that you are safe, and thats all we need to know!

Of course, this issue isn't exclusive to the DeSoto Sheriff's Department, so this would be a great practice for all iPhone owners who might drop that phone and initiate the Crash Detection.

If that happens, regardless of where you might be, watch for a call from local law enforcement and should they call, be sure to answer and let them know if you were in an accident or if you just accidentally dropped the phone.

If you don't answer, you can probably expect a wellness check from that law enforcement agency.