Oklahoma City Police Deploy AI to Draft Incident Reports, Raises Bias Concerns

Oklahoma City police are now using an AI tool to write incident reports. The technology, developed by Axon, uses AI similar to ChatGPT to draft reports from body camera audio in just eight seconds.

While officers praise the time-saving technology, legal scholars and community activists raise concerns about potential bias and the accuracy of AI-generated reports.

The software, Draft One, converts body camera audio into written incident reports, aiming to improve report drafting efficiency.

The Associated Press reports that Oklahoma City Sergeant Matt Gilmore, who tested it, said the AI-written report was “better” than anything he could have written himself, was 100% accurate, and even included details he didn’t recall.

Axon created the product. Company founder and CEO Rick Smith told the AP that Draft One had the “most positive reaction” of any product the company has introduced.

“However, there are concerns,” Smith noted. He explained that district attorneys want to ensure that police officers, not just an AI chatbot, are responsible for writing their reports since they may need to testify in court about their observations.

The Independent reports that Oklahoma City community activist Aurelius Francisco has expressed deep concerns about the use of AI technology in police reporting, particularly due to potential racial biases.

Past incidents, such as Robert Williams’ wrongful arrest due to flawed facial recognition, exemplify the dangers of overreliance on AI in police investigative work, particularly regarding racial bias and inaccuracies.

“Given all the sensitivities around policing, around race and other identities of people involved, that’s an area where I think we’re going to have to do some real work before we would introduce it,” Smith told AP.

There’s a consensus that while AI can assist in report drafting, ultimate responsibility and accountability should remain with human officers, especially when dealing with serious crimes that may require court testimony.