Serious concerns over increasing use of AI by London police

Police told to use AI and other new technologies to ‘seize opportunities’

Experts have warned that oversight of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the police force needs to catch up with its introduction, after the Metropolitan Police was told to “seize the opportunities” that technological advances could bring to London’s police force.

The force’s chief minister, Sir Mark Rowley, was bullish about the potential of AI, including helping with scanning and processing evidence, which would free up officers to carry out front-line policing in their communities.

However, concerns remain about whether the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s oversight of the use of these technologies is sufficient. Experts told the Policing London in the Age of AI summit held at City Hall this week that no oversight framework currently exists and it is vital that the Met takes Londoners along with it every step of the way in technological progress.

“The starting point is to bring justice to the people these systems are meant to serve,” said Ruth Ehrlich of the human rights group Liberty.

“Currently, there is no comprehensive framework for how police use technology and we need to ensure regulations are in place to ensure it has an impact on victims.

“Safety measures should look at every step of the technology, including the humans in the loop.

“The problem of bias starts with the data itself. Communities that have historically been subject to over-policing are overrepresented. We need strong, independent regulators to prevent this, which is why oversight is so important.”

Professor Marion Oswald from Northumbria University suggested that AI would completely change the way police police enforcement, using remote weapons detection as an example.

“AI will usher in a new era in police culture as old systems are eroded and new police forces are created,” she said, adding that “traditional stop and search only works when an officer has reasonable suspicion and then conducts a physical search.”

“This remote AI weapon detection reverses this. The search occurs first, before the officer becomes suspicious. This turns a stop and search into a search and stop.”

“Governance and oversight are essential, not an inconvenience. They are there to ensure we have reliable and effective technology that works in police situations and to ensure that processes adhere to the principles of impartiality that the UK expects.”

“We all need to remember why we are there: not to save time or be more efficient for ourselves, but to bring justice to the public. When we embrace this type of technology, we need to do it in a way that preserves trust, protects fair trial rights, and provides value for money.”

The Mayor of London previously cited these concerns, suggesting that despite the “exciting opportunities” there were “uncertainties and concerns for the public”.

He told MPs last month: “In our system of consent-based policing, it is vital that any such progress is transparent and has the trust of Londoners in mind.”

“The continuing role of the Mayor’s Office for Police and Crime is to oversee how the MPS uses emerging technologies such as AI to make London safer, deliver more efficient services, ensure they are good value for the public’s money, and reassure Londoners that these tools and the data they use are well managed.”

Kaya Kamer Schwartz, Sir Sadiq Khan’s deputy mayor for police, echoed these concerns, telling the summit: “AI is no longer a problem of the future, but a current reality that society is grappling with.

“The Mayor has made clear that innovation must go hand-in-hand with transparency, value for money and increasing public trust.

“We have already seen how technology helps police officers and combats crime on our roads, but with every new technology comes important questions about how it should be used and who should oversee it.

“If we don’t understand when, where, and how AI is being used, or what safeguards are in place, trust can quickly erode. The principles of fairness, accountability, and legitimacy require a conversation about how to address these challenges.”

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