The UK government has unveiled plans to dramatically expand the use of artificial intelligence in policing, including the deployment of online chatbots to handle non-urgent public enquiries and a major increase in live facial recognition cameras, according to reporting by Times UK.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced a £141 million fund to support the rollout, overseen by a new national AI hub called Police.AI. The centre is intended to modernise the technology available to police forces and streamline time-consuming administrative tasks such as producing court files, analysing CCTV footage, transcribing documents, and managing disclosure. The Home Office said these AI-driven efficiencies could free up six million policing hours each year—equivalent to roughly 3,000 full-time officers.
The proposals were outlined in a policing white paper described as the biggest reforms in 200 years since the establishment of the modern police service. Alongside the technology push, Mahmood pledged a “significant reduction” in the number of police forces in England and Wales, potentially cutting the current 43 forces to as few as 12 through mergers. However, the plan commits to just one “pathfinder merger” within this parliamentary term, expected by 2029, which would serve as a model for future consolidation. An independent review is set to report this summer with recommendations on the overall structure of forces.
A further £26 million of the new funding will be used to increase the number of live facial recognition vans from ten to 50, making them available to every force in England and Wales later this year. The technology, which scans designated crime hotspots and alerts officers if wanted individuals pass nearby, has been used by the Metropolitan Police since 2020. The Met says it has helped catch 1,700 criminals, including rapists, domestic abusers and robbers. Deputy Commissioner Matt Jukes described the system as three times more effective than conventional tactics used to track suspects.
The new AI centre will also support police forces in introducing chatbots that triage and respond to online enquiries, and will provide AI assistance in control rooms to help callers access appropriate support more quickly. Call handlers will be aided in completing administrative tasks and identifying risks in real time. Officials stressed that AI will not replace the role of neighbourhood officers and face-to-face community policing.
Mahmood argued the reforms are necessary as criminals increasingly use sophisticated methods while some police forces still rely on “analogue methods.” She said the technology drive would help get more officers on the streets and speed up the arrest and prosecution of serious offenders.
At the same time, officials acknowledged limits on AI use in policing, particularly following a high-profile incident in which false intelligence generated by AI was used by West Midlands police to justify banning Israeli football fans from attending a match in Birmingham. They said AI should not be used in the development of intelligence reports, reinforcing a cautious approach amid the broader push for automation.
