Artificial Intelligence

INNOVATION: An artificial intelligence-powered knife database, created through a collaboration between the Metropolitan Police and Surrey University, is enabling officers to match dangerous weapons using images taken in often dark and difficult conditions; a dashboard explaining how the knife recognition system works could soon be rolled out nationwide, as the Office of the Police Chief Scientific Adviser reports.

INTERVIEW: With growing recognition of the potential law enforcement benefits of police partnerships with academia, Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth spoke to Prof Babak Akhgar (Director) and Prof Saskia Bayerl (Head of Research) at Sheffield Hallam University’s Centre of Excellence in Terrorism, Resilience, Intelligence and Organised Crime Research (CENTRIC) about working with policing, the benefits and challenges of artificial intelligence, and encouraging officers to be innovative.

ANALYSIS: The work of the West Midlands Police Data Ethics Committee has been recognised as pioneering in England and Wales, but until now the impact of its activities had not been fully assessed; Northumbria University Professor Marion Oswald, Senior Research Associate at the Alan Turing Institute and Chair of the Committee, outlines the findings of a new report which evaluates that activity, and suggests steps to improve outcomes both for the West Midlands Police and other forces looking to follow suit.

ANALYSIS: The increase in drug-related extreme violence and the scale of drug seizures across Europe suggest Mexican and South American cartels already view the EU as the ideal location for expansion; former DEA Special Agent Michael Brown, Global Director of Counter-Narcotics Technology at Rigaku Analytical Devices, believes steps can be taken by European governments and law enforcement to thwart that expansion – but will require political will, increased co-operation, and better use of technology.

INTERVIEW: In the second of a two-part interview, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke QPM DL told Policing Insight’s James Sweetland that the Inspectorate should play a role in picking chief constables as he and his team “know more about policing than police and crime commissioners”; he also explained why the Inspectorate needs new powers, and how a £13 million funding boost could pay for an artificial intelligence “early warning system” to identify forces at risk of going into special measures.

INTERVIEW: As the first National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for artificial intelligence (AI), National Crime Agency Director Alex Murray has a unique insight into how this tech is changing policing; he spoke to Policing Insight’s James Sweetland about the “brilliant work” developing police facial recognition in England and Wales, the dangers of deepfake evidence undermining the criminal justice system, and challenged “doomsters” who criticise an “overhyped version” of genuine police AI.

INNOVATION: In the latest in a series of articles exploring the opportunities and challenges presented to police by the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI), Chief Philip Lukens explores the options and opportunities for introducing a risk matrix for AI policies in police departments that can ensure transparency, accountability, and public trust.

ANALYSIS: The recent signing of an EU convention on artificial intelligence (AI) brought the full implementation of the EU AI Act a step closer; but as Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth reports, exceptions to the regulations called for by European police chiefs have been agreed in principle by legislators, and should reflect the need to respect the confidentiality of sensitive operational data.

ANALYSIS: New research from the University of Liverpool working with three English police forces has highlighted that officers’ unmanageable workloads, insufficient training and lack of understanding of digitally enabled coercive control are leading to missed opportunities in investigating potential perpetrators and protecting victim-survivors, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

FEATURE: Last week’s Global Evidence-Based Policing (EBP) Conference, supported by Policing Insight as media partner, saw pioneers of the evidence-based approach gather in Melbourne to share insights and best practice, as well as signing a new memorandum of understanding between EBP societies in six countries that could lay the foundations for greater global collaboration and co-operation, as Policing Insight’s Keith Potter reports.

INTERVIEW: Policing Insight’s recent ‘Facing the future: the rise of facial recognition in policing’ report drew on 34 interviews with operational leaders and experts to examine how facial recognition (FR) is being used by police around the world and the key debates about the technology; as part of that project, James Sweetland interviewed Dr Andrew Chen, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Auckland about New Zealand Police’s approach to this technology and the debate around accuracy and bias – in this article, we share more from that insightful conversation.

INNOVATION: While artificial intelligence (AI) clearly offers significant opportunities for policing, it also comes with inherent risks and concerns; Dr Fatema Zaghloul, Lecturer in Business Analytics at the University of Bristol, and Justin Partridge, Postgraduate Researcher at Leeds University Business School, explore the benefits and challenges of AI in policing, and why it’s essential for policing to shape policies that promote transparency and responsible use of the new technology.

INTERVIEWS: Ahead of the Global Evidence-Based Policing (EBP) Conference, Mark Evans, NZ Police Executive Lead for Future Policing and the Vice-President of the Australia New Zealand Society of Evidence-Based Policing, spoke to fellow EBP pioneers about the growth, opportunities and challenges around the approach; in this second of two features, he explores the future of EBP over the coming decade, and how to increase understanding among the public as well as convincing the sceptics.

FEATURE: The widespread UK public disorder fuelled by online hate and misinformation in the wake of the murder of three young girls led to the jailing of a number of people for stirring up racial hatred in online messages; Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the HATEDEMICS initiative which uses artificial intelligence to hamper the spread of hate speech, disinformation and conspiracy theories.

INTERVIEWS: Ahead of September’s Global Evidence-Based Policing (EBP) Conference, Mark Evans, NZ Police Executive Lead for Future Policing and the Vice-President of the Australia New Zealand Society of Evidence-Based Policing, spoke to fellow EBP pioneers about the growth, opportunities and challenges around the approach; in this first of two features, he looks at advice for agencies embarking on EBP, and where should efforts be focused – leaders, front-line officers, or both?

INNOVATION: A successful pilot project using artificial intelligence to support call handlers answering domestic abuse calls in Humberside Police – which increased both officer and public safety, improved evidence and reduced staff stress – could now be applied to other crime types within the force as well as being scaled up nationally, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

INNOVATION: Advances in the application of artificial intelligence and other new technology have huge potential for transforming the criminal justice system in areas such as video redaction, risk assessment and forensic biotechnology; Simon Randall, CEO of privacy and security specialists Pimloc, explores some of those opportunities to increase effectiveness, as well as the challenges the new tech presents.

INNOVATION: Policing Insight’s Andrew Staniforth looks at the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to have a major impact on the delivery of UK policing, and the environment necessary to encourage creativity and innovation that will make the best use of the technology.

INNOVATION: As advances in technology bring huge potential into forensic investigation, Shashi Angadi, Chief Technology Officer of data software specialists Exterro, explores the fascinating world of forensic science and how advanced software and tools are making crime-solving faster, more accurate, and much more collaborative.

OPINION: Against a backdrop of rapid technological advancement, societal change, and the need for continuous improvement, Canterbury Christ Church University Senior Lecturer in Policing, Dr David Lydon, argues that incorporating futurists into policing could redefine approaches to public safety, enhance community trust, and empower police personnel to navigate the future operating environment with confidence and foresight.

INNOVATION: With the opportunities offered to policing by artificial intelligence (AI) a key conversation at the recent Cumberland Lodge Police Conference, Martin Taylor, Deputy Chief Executive of Content Guru, explores the potential for AI to enhance the delivery of services by policing, and the importance of reframing and redefining the debate around this new technology.

INNOVATION: From advanced surveillance and data analytics to facial recognition and collars that can detect ‘anti-predation’ behaviour in farm animals sparked by the actions of livestock thieves, a recent online roundtable involving policing, academic and farming stakeholders highlighted the importance of agricultural technology – coupled with traditional policing methods – in tackling rural crime, as Policing Insight’s Sarah Gibbons reports.

INTERVIEW: Policing Insight’s recent ‘Facing the future: the rise of facial recognition in policing’ report drew on 34 interviews with operational leaders and experts to examine how facial recognition (FR) is being used by police around the world, and the key debates about the technology; as part of the project, James Sweetland interviewed Lindsey Chiswick, Metropolitan Police Director of Intelligence and National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead on FR, about the British approach, and in this article we share more of that insightful conversation.

INNOVATION: For more than 40 years the UK’s renowned Cumberland Lodge policing conference has convened an influential, cross-sector gathering of speakers and delegates to stimulate fresh thinking on key issues in policing; in this article, the Police Foundation’s Ruth Halkon and Andy Higgins present the highlights from this year’s event.