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Facepalm: Most people already know that there are some tasks where you really, really shouldn't rely on AI, especially those that deal with sensitive matters. It should come as little surprise, then, to learn that a UK police detective is being investigated over allegations they used Copilot to help make decisions in criminal investigations.
The senior Derbyshire Constabulary officer is facing an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over alleged gross misconduct. According to the BBC, the inquiry began in August, following a voluntary referral from the force on June 23 after an internal review of the detective's AI use.
The allegations go beyond asking Microsoft's assistant to check some sentences for spelling and grammar errors. The officer allegedly used AI to formulate policy decisions, assess and manage risk, and justify decisions during criminal investigations. They are also accused of entering sensitive operational and personal information relating to cases into the tool.
Derbyshire had actually approved Copilot for officers to use in May 2025. It was meant to help with tasks such as drafting reports and summarizing information. However, that permission came with conditions barring the input of operational, sensitive, or personal data.
Emily Barry, the IOPC's director of engagement, said: "These are serious allegations and it's right they are investigated thoroughly and independently."
Investigators will examine the detective's Copilot use between May 2025 and June 2026 to determine whether professional standards were breached. The officer has received a gross misconduct notice, but no finding has been made.
AI has already been making its way into police paperwork elsewhere. It was previously reported that US police departments were adopting Axon's Draft One, which generates report drafts from body-camera audio. Officers were required to check and approve the results, although concerns remained about inaccurate information and an increasing reliance on automated writing.
Earlier this year, there was a bizarre example of AI getting police paperwork wrong. An AI-generated report in Utah claimed an officer had turned into a frog after the software picked up audio from Disney's The Princess and the Frog playing in the background. A human caught the mistake before the report was submitted.
The sensitive-data element also brings to mind Samsung's experience in 2023, when employees submitted confidential code and meeting information to ChatGPT. As reported at the time, attempts to speed up routine work ended up handing company information to an outside service.
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