AI, facial recognition and digital evidence sharing: Why police must embrace new tech

This is my latest column, published in today's Scotsman (10th December 2024)....

With previous funding levels for public services like the police gone for good, officers must turn to technology to help them cope with increasing demands on their time.

As Scotland’s Chief Constable approaches the third year of her tenure, she and her top team don’t have their sorrows to seek. The fact that few if any are of Jo Farrell’s own making will be cold comfort as Police Scotland faces another tough year, despite a small uplift in funds in the recent Budget.

On a positive note, operational policing has had a good year. The performance of the serious and organised crime team has never been better. With the exception of one or two sticky historical cases, all homicides have been quickly solved, and a number of high-tariff organised crime groups have been dismantled in brilliant intelligence-led operations in partnership with the National Crime Agency and others.

On the public order front, all large-scale events have been well policed and, apart from repeated glitches around fireworks night, the year has gone fairly smoothly. All good you may say, but beneath the surface, there are structural problems which pose ongoing threats and a long list of woes.

Cybercrime is a growing focus for Police Scotland, adding to more traditional duties like ensuring public order is maintained (Picture: Jane Barlow/pool) | POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Hundreds of officers in court

Repeated budget cuts have reduced funding to pre-2013 levels and police numbers have fallen to the lowest headcount since before the national force was formed.

Increased demand for new specialist investigations, cyber crime, historical sexual crime, and the increased terrorist threat have all taken cops off the street, seriously affecting core community policing. In addition, £500,000 is needed just to prevent our police stations falling down; the police federation, which represents street officers, is organising a work to rule in pursuit of an overdue pay deal; and so on.

As well as its own problems, the police are being affected by knock-on problems elsewhere in the justice system. Our courts, also systematically underfunded, are now hopelessly jammed, with upwards of 500 police officers attending court daily, the vast majority of whom are not called to give evidence.

Embracing artificial intelligence

But here at least there’s a glimmer of hope, for Chief Farrell has a plan. At a recent Digital Justice and Policing Conference, she announced a bold initiative which, if successful, could make a real difference and usher in a broader role for technology to tackle the delays and bureaucracy so deeply ingrained in many of our systems.

A government-funded, digital evidence-sharing system is to be rolled out after trials showed it capable of saving considerable police time at court. In the great scheme of things, it’s a small step forward and we should not forget the risks that new IT systems bring, but if this idea proves successful, it will make a real difference.

No IT systems will ever replace the need for boots on the ground but it will help bridge the growing gap between increasing demand and reduced supply. Developments in artificial intelligence like facial recognition must also be embraced, with appropriate safeguards.

For there is a reality that our police and civic leaders are well aware. The old funding levels are gone for good. Public services will be lucky to maintain present budgets, let alone hope to see a reversal of funding fortunes. It’s time to innovate, to think and act anew, it’s the only way to keep up.

In embracing new technology, Chief Farrell is doing just that – we should all hope her plan succeeds.