The recent news that Apple's VP of global security, John Theriault left the company in the middle of the controversial investigation into the missing iPhone prototype poses concerns. It highlights the potential pitfalls former law enforcement officers face when transitioning into the private sector.
The facts surrounding the case are still very sparse, including concerns that Apple investigators impersonated police officers. However, what is known of the case is Apple investigators searched for the missing prototype in a private home in San Francisco with officers dressed in SFPD clothes. The public and messy allegations began when the homeowner said he was threatened and the Apple investigators didn't identify themselves properly.
Eugene Ferraro, CEO of Business Controls Inc points out that "sometimes the mindset of police officers or FBI agents don't always serve them well in the private sector, "where's there much more to be aware of such as a company's reputation than just catching the bad guy."
Ferraro mentions the mistake is approaching the problem with the ultimate goal of catching the perpetrators and putting them in jail, versus making a careful assessment of the situation. He also states "the most important lesson from the news, think before you act. Just because you know you can do something...it doesn't mean it's a smart thing to do."
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