The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it is using artificial intelligence tools supplied by US tech company Palantir to monitor staff behaviour, aiming to identify failing officers. The force is analysing internal data on sickness levels, absences, and overtime patterns to detect potential professional standards issues.
The Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers, criticised the approach as 'automated suspicion'. A spokesperson said: 'Officers must not be subjected to opaque or untested tools that risk misinterpreting unsustainable workload pressures, sickness or overtime as indicators of wrongdoing.'
The Met, the UK's largest police force with 46,000 officers and staff, has faced controversies including failures in vetting and tolerance of discriminatory behaviour. The force stated there is evidence linking high sickness, absences, or overtime to failings in standards and culture.
The time-limited pilot aims to 'help us identify these patterns of behaviour' and is 'part of our wider effort to drive up standards'. The Met emphasised that while Palantir's systems identify patterns, human officers make final determinations on standards and performance.
Palantir, co-founded by Trump-supporting billionaire Peter Thiel, has faced scrutiny over its UK public sector contracts, including a £330m NHS deal and a £240m Ministry of Defence contract. Liberal Democrat MP Martin Wrigley questioned: 'Who is watching Palantir?'
A Palantir spokesperson said: 'We are proud that our software is being used to deliver better public services in the UK, including improving police operations.'
