Derbyshire Constabulary has launched a criminal investigation into an officer accused of using AI systems to create evidential material in a number of cases, in what is believed to be the first such investigation of its kind in the UK.
The force confirmed that an officer is under investigation for perverting the course of justice following allegations that AI tools were used to generate material later relied upon as evidence. The officer has been removed from frontline duties pending the outcome of the investigation, and no arrests have been made.
In a statement to infoGov, Derbyshire Police said: "A criminal investigation has been launched into an allegation of perverting the course of justice after the alleged use of AI systems by an officer to create evidential material in a number of cases."
The force said it was "working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to any potentially impacted cases", but that the investigation remained "in its early stages, so no further details are available."
The specific nature of the alleged misconduct has not been disclosed.
Derbyshire Police told InfoGov that the case has not prompted a force-wide ban on AI use by officers and staff, though its approach remains under review.
"There has not been any stop on officers and staff using AI, however, we continue to keep our use of AI under constant review," the force said.
The constabulary said it is not currently part of any formal trials involving AI-generated material for court proceedings, but does use AI tools for limited administrative tasks. "Tools are used for some elements, such as the redaction of documents, but force policy mandates that these be checked manually prior to use within any proceedings," the statement said.
The force added: "As a force we are clear that AI and other technologies are an important part of delivering the best possible service to the public, however, we also recognise that we must use these in an ethical, proportionate, and appropriate manner."
The investigation became public in the same week that PoliceAI, a new national centre intended to coordinate AI adoption across UK policing, was formally launched. At the launch, interim director Alex Murray said policing needed to keep pace with rapidly evolving crime and technology by adopting AI responsibly to catch criminals and keep the public safe.
