Police Officer Builds iOS Location Utility LOC8 Using Claude Code

Building a Practical Location Utility with Claude Code

A police officer with a software development side project has built LOC8, an iOS utility app designed to solve a specific problem encountered during foot pursuits. The app provides immediate location information without maps or menus.

Problem and Solution

The developer identified a real-world issue: when running through apartment complexes, backyards, or unfamiliar neighborhoods during foot pursuits, officers can become disoriented. Dispatch often asks for location, but determining the closest address can be difficult in the moment.

LOC8 addresses this by immediately displaying upon opening:

• Street address
• Nearest cross street
• GPS coordinates
• Altitude
• Accuracy

The app has a singular purpose: answering "where am I right now" as quickly as possible.

Development Workflow with Claude Code

The entire project was built using Claude Code despite the developer not having a traditional programming background. The workflow was incremental and iterative:

• Describing small changes to Claude
• Having Claude implement them
• Running builds on device immediately
• Testing each implementation

The development process followed a feature-by-feature approach:

1. Building the splash screen first
2. Testing transitions
3. Moving to the main screen
4. Adding location display
5. Adjusting layout
6. Iterating on accuracy and UI clarity

App Evolution and Features

Originally focused on law enforcement use cases, the app received feedback from people who would use it when traveling or when they simply want to confirm their exact location quickly. This led to expanding the focus to be useful for the general public.

The app is available with:

• Free 3-day trial
• $0.49 per week subscription
• $7.99 per year subscription
• $14.99 lifetime purchase

The developer notes there are backend costs associated with the location resolution service the app uses.

Platform Expansion

An Apple Watch companion version is already finished and currently waiting for Apple review. The goal for the watch version is to make it possible to tap the watch and instantly see your exact location.