A police officer from Derbyshire Constabulary is under criminal investigation for allegedly using artificial intelligence to fabricate evidential material in multiple cases, marking the first known instance of its kind in the United Kingdom.
The unnamed officer has been removed from frontline duties pending the outcome of the investigation. The allegations include perverting the course of justice, according to a statement from the force.
Derbyshire police confirmed they are working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to assess any cases that may have been affected. The force noted that the investigation is in its early stages and no arrests have been made.
The exact nature of the suspected misconduct has not been disclosed. A CPS spokesperson stated they are cooperating with Derbyshire police and engaging with defence teams and courts as appropriate, but declined to comment further while inquiries continue.
This development follows warnings from Alex Murray, head of the National Police Chiefs' Council's Police AI centre, who advised multiple forces to cease using AI for preparing court statements and other tasks. In April, the Metropolitan Police investigated hundreds of officers after using an AI tool developed by US tech company Palantir to identify rogue officers. The software uncovered rule violations, including work-from-home breaches, suspected corruption, and serious crimes such as rape. That probe led to the arrest of three officers for offences including abuse of authority, fraud, sexual assault, and misconduct in public office.
