California Assemblymember Jim Cooper is appalled by Apple’s refusal to make iPhone data available to law enforcement

In the wake of Apple CEO Tim Cook’s refusal to comply with a government order to find a way to allow the FBI to use a “brute force” attack on a terrorist’s iPhone without erasing all its data, California Assemblymember Jim Cooper, author of AB 1681, which would prohibit the sale of smartphones with unbreakable encryption, today issued  this statement:

“Like many Californians, I am appalled that after two months and a federal court order the manufacturer of a phone used in a terrorist attack is unwilling to help law enforcement access crucial evidence. 

“I introduced AB 1681 precisely to help law enforcement continue to protect the public. My bill preserves the Fourth Amendment against unreasonable searches and ensures that a time tested, judicial process of obtaining a probable cause search warrant, remains intact.

“As a retired law enforcement officer with 30 years of experience and as the former Commander of the Sacramento Valley High-Tech Crimes Task Force, I have worked tirelessly to protect the public and our children from sexual exploitation. We cannot sit idly by while pimps and pedophiles are exploiting our children by intentionally using unbreakable encrypted phones to shield their illegal activities from law enforcement. We have a responsibility to keep our children safe and to combat human trafficking.”