Bloomington Police in Minnesota are recognizing the need to stay ahead of the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence (AI) rather than falling behind. Police Chief Booker Hodges revealed that the department is planning to hire two dedicated artificial intelligence officers, making them potentially the first fleet police department to do so. Instead of relying on robotic law enforcement, Chief Hodges intends to employ two human professionals who will explore how AI can be beneficially integrated within the department. Traditionally, law enforcement tends to lag behind when it comes to adopting new technologies, and Chief Hodges aims to change that. He emphasizes the importance of being cautious with AI implementation, noting that any evidence obtained through AI would require human verification.

The primary tasks of the two officers will be to explore how AI can be utilized, specifically in relation to body-worn camera video analysis and the detection of criminal usage. Additionally, AI could potentially enhance public access to radio traffic by automatically censoring private information. It may also help recognize false reports and differentiate between real individuals and AI-generated swatting calls. Nonetheless, Chief Hodges acknowledges that moral dilemmas may arise and expresses reservations about using AI for predictive models that anticipate criminal behavior. Candidates for these new positions will be selected from within the police department and will receive specialized training.