AI in Policing: Officer Consults ChatGPT on Crime

A recent investigation revealed that a police officer in Bluffdale, Utah, used ChatGPT to help determine if a private investigator's actions constituted a violation of a protective order. The officer consulted the AI on June 5, without directly interviewing the individual who had obtained the protective order.

The investigation centered on claims that a private investigator, allegedly hired by the ex-partner of a social media influencer, was conducting surveillance. This raised concerns about potential stalking and violations of existing protective orders between the parties involved in a public dispute.

Legal experts have voiced strong criticism, emphasizing that AI chatbots are not appropriate tools for legal research or for making decisions about criminal conduct. They pointed out that law enforcement has access to official legal statutes and databases, making the reliance on AI for such critical assessments inexcusable.

This incident highlights the emerging challenges and ethical questions surrounding the use of artificial intelligence in policing. While guidelines for AI in law enforcement are still developing, the current practice of using generative chatbots for legal determination is deemed inappropriate by experts, especially when errors could have serious consequences.