AI Writing Utah Police Dept Reports Claims Officer Turned Into a Frog During Traffic Stop
If you use AI to cheat on your homework, you’ll eventually get caught. The same appears to be true for police officers.
The police department in Heber City, Utah, is trialing multiple AI software platforms. They promise to transform raw body camera footage into polished police reports. When officers took local Fox 13 News reporters on a ride-along to demonstrate the technology, it got … jumpy.
Department personnel staged and filmed a traffic stop. They then fed the footage into an AI system and printed a report. The alleged offense was driving while watching Netflix. The first draft claimed Sgt. Rick Keel had transformed into a frog during the stop.
Keel speculated, “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.’”
The officer added, “I’m not the most tech-savvy person.” He joked, “That’s when we learned the importance of correcting these AI-generated reports.”
AI promises speed, but still needs supervision
Keel explained that the software is “very user-friendly.” When it works, it frees up significant time previously spent typing reports. “I’m saving myself about 6-8 hours weekly now.”
Transcribing audio and video is one way AI could transform multiple industries. Saving officers eight hours a week could translate into major savings for taxpayers. But the Fox 13 News demonstration showed how much development these tools still need before they can operate without close oversight.
One of the software platforms Heber City police are testing was created by two 19-year-old MIT dropouts. It may be wise to wait for version 2.0 before paying $30 per officer, per month.
