Senior detective under investigation over use of AI

A senior detective is being investigated over potential artificial intelligence (AI)-related gross misconduct.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) said it had started investigating the officer after they were referred to the watchdog by Derbyshire Police following an "internal review" of their use of AI.

The investigation into the force comes two months after a criminal investigation was launched into another officer accused of using AI systems to "create evidential material in a number of cases".

Derbyshire Police said on Monday it made a voluntary referral to the IOPC on 23 June "regarding an officer's use of artificial intelligence".

The force said the latest investigation was being independently led by the IOPC and it was unable to comment further.

The Financial Times (FT) reported a person familiar with events said the case involved a detective chief inspector at the force alleged to have used AI to maintain "decision logs".

Senior investigators maintain such logs during investigations to record why they took each step, and they can be disclosed for defence lawyers to scrutinise during court cases, the FT said.

In June, the force started an unrelated criminal investigation into another detective accused of using AI systems to "create evidential material in a number of cases". The force said he had been removed from front-line duties, pending the outcome of the investigation.

The officer is alleged to have perverted the course of justice, but police said no arrests had been made.

The FT also reported that a member of staff at Gloucestershire Police was dismissed after bypassing safeguards to use an AI chatbot for police-related work "on numerous occasions".

The IOPC said: "Derbyshire Constabulary made a voluntary conduct referral to us on 23 June following an internal review of an officer's use of artificial intelligence and concerns it was not in line with guidance and conditions issued by the force."

The organisation added it had decided the matter warranted an investigation. It said: "The officer in question has been served notice that they are under investigation for alleged gross misconduct."

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