A police officer in Derbyshire is under criminal investigation for allegedly using artificial intelligence to generate evidential material in multiple cases, marking the first known instance of its kind in the United Kingdom. The unidentified officer has been removed from frontline duties while the inquiry proceeds.
Details of the Investigation
Derbyshire police confirmed to the Financial Times that a criminal investigation has been launched into allegations of perverting the course of justice. The force stated: 'A criminal investigation has been launched into an allegation of perverting the course of justice after the alleged use of AI systems by an officer to create evidential material in a number of cases.'
The force is collaborating closely with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) regarding any potentially impacted cases. The investigation remains in its early stages, and no further details have been disclosed. The officer's specific role and the exact nature of the suspected misconduct have not been revealed.
No Arrests Made Yet
Authorities have not made any arrests in connection with the case. The officer involved has been removed from frontline duties pending the outcome of the investigation.
CPS Involvement
A CPS spokesperson stated: 'We are working with Derbyshire police as it conducts enquiries into the alleged use of artificial intelligence by an officer. We are engaging with defence teams and the courts in appropriate cases. As police enquiries continue, it would not be appropriate to comment further.'
Broader Context of AI in Policing
This investigation follows warnings from Alex Murray, head of the National Police Chiefs' Council's Police AI centre, who revealed that several police forces had been advised to stop using AI systems for preparing court statements and other tasks due to reliability concerns.
In April, the Metropolitan Police launched investigations into hundreds of officers after deploying an AI tool developed by US tech company Palantir to identify rogue officers. The software analyzed staff data over a week, uncovering rule violations ranging from work-from-home infractions to suspected corruption and criminal allegations, including rape. As a result, three officers were arrested for offenses such as abuse of authority for sexual purposes, fraud, sexual assault, misconduct in public office, and misuse of police systems.
