Curated by THEOUTPOST
On Tue, 19 Nov, 4:07 PM UTC
2 Sources
[1]
How the largest gathering of US police chiefs is talking about AI
It can be tricky for reporters to get past certain doors, and the door to the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference is one that's almost perpetually shut to the media. Thus, I was pleasantly surprised when I was able to attend for a day in Boston last month. It bills itself as the largest gathering of police chiefs in the United States, where leaders from many of the country's 18,000 police departments and even some from abroad convene for product demos, discussions, parties, and awards. I went along to see how artificial intelligence was being discussed, and the message to police chiefs seemed crystal clear: If your department is slow to adopt AI, fix that now. The future of policing will rely on it in all its forms. In the event's expo hall, the vendors (of which there were more than 600) offered a glimpse into the ballooning industry of police-tech suppliers. Some had little to do with AI -- booths showcased body armor, rifles, and prototypes of police-branded Cybertrucks, and others displayed new types of gloves promising to protect officers from needles during searches. But one needed only to look to where the largest crowds gathered to understand that AI was the major draw. The hype focused on three uses of AI in policing. The flashiest was virtual reality, exemplified by the booth from V-Armed, which sells VR systems for officer training. On the expo floor, V-Armed built an arena complete with VR goggles, cameras, and sensors, not unlike the one the company recently installed at the headquarters of the Los Angeles Police Department. Attendees could don goggles and go through training exercises on responding to active shooter situations. Many competitors of V-Armed were also at the expo, selling systems they said were cheaper, more effective, or simpler to maintain. The pitch on VR training is that in the long run, it can be cheaper and more engaging to use than training with actors or in a classroom. "If you're enjoying what you're doing, you're more focused and you remember more than when looking at a PDF and nodding your head," V-Armed CEO Ezra Kraus told me. The effectiveness of VR training systems has yet to be fully studied, and they can't completely replicate the nuanced interactions police have in the real world. AI is not yet great at the soft skills required for interactions with the public. At a different company's booth, I tried out a VR system focused on deescalation training, in which officers were tasked with calming down an AI character in distress. It suffered from lag and was generally quite awkward -- the character's answers felt overly scripted and programmatic. The second focus was on the changing way police departments are collecting and interpreting data. Rather than buying a gunshot detection tool from one company and a license plate reader or drone from another, police departments are increasingly using expanding suites of sensors, cameras, and so on from a handful of leading companies that promise to integrate the data collected and make it useful. Police chiefs attended classes on how to build these systems, like one taught by Microsoft and the NYPD about the Domain Awareness System, a web of license plate readers, cameras, and other data sources used to track and monitor crime in New York City. Crowds gathered at massive, high-tech booths from Axon and Flock, both sponsors of the conference. Flock sells a suite of cameras, license plate readers, and drones, offering AI to analyze the data coming in and trigger alerts. These sorts of tools have come in for heavy criticism from civil liberties groups, which see them as an assault on privacy that does little to help the public.
[2]
The Download: police AI, and mixed reality's future
How the largest gathering of US police chiefs is talking about AI The International Association of Chiefs of Police bills itself as the largest gathering of its type in the United States. Leaders from many of the country's 18,000 police departments and even some from abroad convene for product demos, discussions, parties, and awards. I went along last month to see how artificial intelligence was being discussed, and the message to police chiefs seemed crystal clear: If your department is slow to adopt AI, fix that now. From the expo hall, talks, and interviews, it seems they're already enthusiastically heeding the call. Read the full story. After years of trying, augmented-reality specs are at last a thing. If you want to learn more about where AR experiences are heading, join our editor-in-chief Mat Honan and AI hardware reporter James O'Donnell for a Roundtables conversation streamed online at 2pm ET/11am PT today. It's for subscribers only but good news: this week our subscriptions are half price. Don't miss out!
Share
Share
Copy Link
The International Association of Chiefs of Police conference showcases AI's growing role in law enforcement, from virtual reality training to integrated data systems, highlighting the push for widespread adoption.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) conference, the largest gathering of police chiefs in the United States, recently convened in Boston, showcasing the growing influence of artificial intelligence in law enforcement. The event, which brought together leaders from many of the country's 18,000 police departments, sent a clear message: AI adoption is crucial for the future of policing 1.
One of the most prominent AI applications on display was virtual reality (VR) for officer training. Companies like V-Armed demonstrated VR systems that simulate active shooter scenarios, offering a potentially more engaging and cost-effective alternative to traditional training methods. Ezra Kraus, CEO of V-Armed, emphasized the benefits: "If you're enjoying what you're doing, you're more focused and you remember more than when looking at a PDF and nodding your head" 1.
However, the effectiveness of these VR training systems remains to be fully studied. Some demonstrations, particularly those focused on de-escalation training, revealed limitations in AI's ability to replicate nuanced human interactions, with responses feeling scripted and programmatic 1.
The conference also highlighted a shift towards integrated data collection and interpretation systems. Rather than relying on disparate tools from various vendors, police departments are increasingly turning to comprehensive suites that combine sensors, cameras, and AI-powered analytics 1.
Companies like Axon and Flock showcased their offerings, which include license plate readers, drones, and AI-driven data analysis tools. The New York Police Department and Microsoft presented on the Domain Awareness System, a network of surveillance tools used to monitor and track crime in New York City 1.
While the enthusiasm for AI in policing was evident, the adoption of these technologies has not been without controversy. Civil liberties groups have raised concerns about the impact on privacy and the effectiveness of these tools in serving the public interest. The widespread implementation of integrated surveillance systems and AI-powered analytics has sparked debates about the balance between public safety and individual rights 1.
The IACP conference made it clear that AI is set to play an increasingly significant role in law enforcement. From virtual reality training to integrated data systems, police departments are being urged to embrace these technologies or risk falling behind. As AI continues to evolve, it will likely shape the future of policing in profound ways, prompting ongoing discussions about its benefits, limitations, and ethical implications 2.
Reference
[1]
[2]
As the volume of police body camera footage grows, human reviewers struggle to keep up. Law enforcement agencies are turning to AI for assistance, sparking debates about privacy and accountability.
2 Sources
2 Sources
Some US police departments are experimenting with AI chatbots to write crime reports, aiming to save time and improve efficiency. However, this practice has sparked debates about accuracy, racial bias, and the potential impact on the justice system.
11 Sources
11 Sources
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has raised alarm over the increasing use of AI in drafting police reports, highlighting potential threats to civil liberties and the integrity of the justice system.
3 Sources
3 Sources
An exploration of how AI is reshaping various job sectors, particularly in software engineering, and its integration into consumer technology.
3 Sources
3 Sources
An exploration of how AI is impacting the criminal justice system, highlighting both its potential benefits and significant risks, including issues of bias, privacy, and the challenges of deepfake evidence.
2 Sources
2 Sources
The Outpost is a comprehensive collection of curated artificial intelligence software tools that cater to the needs of small business owners, bloggers, artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, marketers, writers, and researchers.
© 2025 TheOutpost.AI All rights reserved