Police departments across the US are embracing artificial intelligence to streamline the time-consuming task of writing police reports. The Oklahoma City police department is among those testing the technology, with promising results. According to reports, the department’s AI tool can produce a draft of a police report in under 10 seconds, using audio from an officer’s body camera.
Sergeant Matt Gilmore, a K-9 unit officer, recently used the technology after a suspect search. He was impressed with the resulting report, which was not only faster but also more accurate and detailed than he could have written himself. “It was a better report than I could have ever written, and it was 100% accurate,” Gilmore said. The report even included a detail he had forgotten, such as the color of the car the suspects fled from.
Gilmore’s experience is not unique. Many officers who have tried AI-generated draft reports share his enthusiasm, citing the significant time savings. “Police officers want to do police work, not data entry,” said Rick Smith, CEO of Axon, the company behind the AI product, known as Draft One. “This technology helps them focus on what they do best.”
However, not everyone is convinced of the benefits of AI-generated reports. Prosecutors, legal scholars, and police watchdog groups have raised concerns about the potential impact on the criminal justice system. They worry that AI-generated details could influence the outcome of trials and compromise the integrity of the investigation.
The use of AI in law enforcement is not new, but its application in generating police reports is still in its infancy. As a result, there are limited guidelines and regulations in place to govern its use. The Oklahoma City police department has confirmed that Draft One is not used in high-stakes cases, such as arrests, felonies, or violent crimes.
Captain Jason Bussert, the department’s information technology officer, emphasized that the technology is not yet ready for use in critical cases. “We’re being cautious and making sure we understand the implications before we expand its use,” he said.
