The government has announced the launch of PoliceAI, a new national centre dedicated to the responsible development, piloting and scaling of artificial intelligence in policing.
Backed by £75 million over 3 years, the centre will work across all forces to identify, test and scale AI tools that deliver real results. It is hoped this will mean officers across England and Wales will spend less time behind desks.
Early trials have resulted in 800 hours of footage in a kidnapping case being reviewed in three hours and half a million e-books of data being translated instantly, leading to the arrest of a serious organised crime gang.
PoliceAI is part of a record £140 million investment in AI technology over three years, including funding for 40 more live facial recognition units, tripling current capacity.
Initially, PoliceAI will prioritise areas where AI can make the biggest immediate difference. It will run large-scale pilots in up to 10 forces to help officers triage, disclose and summarise digital evidence, which is currently one of the most time-consuming parts of any investigation. These trials will run over 2026-27 before being scaled to all police forces in 2027.
£16.5 million is also being invested to modernise how police and the public interact, including I that transcribes 999 and 101 calls, links crime reports to identify patterns in demand, and triages non-emergency calls to the right responder.
Policing Minister Sarah Jones said: "AI is already helping police catch dangerous offenders, speed up investigations and keep our communities safe – and we are only just getting started.
"PoliceAI will transform how every force in England and Wales works, improving police access to data and intelligence, generating new evidential leads and ultimately freeing up the equivalent of 3,000 extra officers and putting more police back where they belong: in our communities
"But we will only realise that potential if we do this responsibly, with public consent at every step. That is exactly what PoliceAI is designed to deliver.
"Tackling tool theft and retail crime is a priority. We are investing £1 million to better join up police data with property marking schemes, use AI to identify stolen goods and track resale online, and understand exactly what is being stolen and by whom. Alongside PoliceAI’s work to speed up investigations, this will help return more property to victims and get officers back onto the frontline."
Ian Murray, Minister for Digital Government and Data said: "People should see the benefits of technology in the services they rely on every day – that means quicker results, better tools, and a system that works more effectively from start to finish.
"PoliceAI is about putting that into practice - using cutting-edge AI to help forces process evidence faster, reduce paperwork and focus their time where it matters most.
"By testing what works and scaling it across the country, we’re making sure these improvements are felt in every community - while building trust in how this technology is used."
