Key Takeaways
- The Heber City Police Department in Utah is using AI programs to automatically generate police reports from body camera footage.
- A report generated by the Draft One program falsely stated that an officer had been turned into a frog due to a movie playing in the background.
- The department will continue using the AI programs, but with more oversight to ensure accuracy.
- The use of AI programs has saved the department time, with one sergeant reporting a savings of 6-8 hours per week.
Introduction to AI in Policing
The use of artificial intelligence in policing has been gaining traction in recent years, with many departments exploring ways to leverage AI to improve efficiency and accuracy. One such department is the Heber City Police Department in Utah, which has started using a pair of AI programs, Draft One and Code Four, to automatically generate police reports from body camera footage. These programs were introduced in December, and while they have shown promise, they have also highlighted the potential pitfalls of relying on AI.
The Frog Incident
As reported by Sgt. Rick Keel, the Draft One program generated a police report that falsely stated that an officer had been turned into a frog. According to Keel, "The body cam software and the AI report writing software picked up on the movie that was playing in the background, which happened to be ‘The Princess and the Frog.’" This incident highlights the importance of oversight and review when using AI-generated reports. The department has learned from this experience and will be taking steps to ensure that such mistakes do not happen in the future.
The Technology Behind Draft One
Draft One, the AI program responsible for the mistaken report, was released in 2024 by Axon, the same company that produces the Taser stun gun. The program uses OpenAI’s Chat GPT-4 to transcribe body camera footage, allowing it to generate police reports quickly and efficiently. While the technology has shown promise, it is not without its limitations. As Keel noted, "That’s when we learned the importance of correcting these AI-generated reports." This highlights the need for human oversight and review to ensure that the reports generated by AI are accurate and reliable.
Benefits and Challenges of AI in Policing
Despite the incident, the Heber City Police Department will continue to use the AI programs, but with more oversight. According to Keel, the use of AI has saved him around 6-8 hours per week, making it a valuable tool for the department. As Keel said, "I’m not the most tech-savvy person, so it’s very user-friendly." This suggests that the benefits of using AI in policing, including increased efficiency and accuracy, can be significant. However, it also highlights the need for careful consideration and oversight to ensure that the technology is used responsibly and effectively.
Conclusion and Future Directions
The use of AI in policing is a developing area, and incidents like the one in Heber City highlight the need for careful consideration and oversight. As the technology continues to evolve, it is likely that we will see more police departments exploring the use of AI to improve efficiency and accuracy. However, it is also important to recognize the potential pitfalls and limitations of relying on AI, and to take steps to ensure that the technology is used responsibly and effectively. As Keel noted, the importance of correcting AI-generated reports cannot be overstated, and it will be important for police departments to prioritize oversight and review as they continue to explore the use of AI in policing.
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/01/05/Heber-City-Police-Department-AI-program-officer-frog/9641767634540/
