By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• The San Diego Police Department has banned use of artificial intelligence tools for drafting incident reports and investigative documentation.
• Policy changes apply to all department employees and contractors authorized to create police reports.
• Department officials cited concerns about accuracy, reliability, and legal admissibility of AI-generated content.
• The new policy establishes specific prohibited practices and requires manual completion of sworn reports.
SAN DIEGO, CA — The San Diego Police Department announced a new policy prohibiting use of artificial intelligence tools to prepare or finalize incident reports, investigative reports, and other official documentation by officers and personnel.
Department officials said the directive applies to all members of the department and any personnel authorized to produce police reports, including sworn and non-sworn staff, and prohibits use of AI software to generate narrative content or conclusions in official records.
Police leadership cited concerns about accuracy, the potential for errors, and uncertainty regarding the legal admissibility of AI-assisted report content in criminal and civil proceedings as factors informing the policy decision.
Under the policy, employees are required to prepare all reports manually, and supervisors are tasked with ensuring compliance during reviews, department officials said. Violations of the rule may lead to corrective or disciplinary actions.
The department did not indicate whether or when it may revisit the restrictions as AI technology evolves and legal standards develop.