Documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request suggest officers at the Victoria Police Department in British Columbia are using an internal artificial intelligence chatbot for legal advice and policing information, and may be inputting personal details into the system. The department launched the technology last year on internal servers, making it accessible to all staff on the internal network for tasks such as document drafting, research, data analysis, and querying force policies. A spokesperson for the department stated that because the model is not connected to the internet, it is limited to internal data and cannot provide real-time information. The released documents show five queries involving the force's Information Management director, a media relations officer, and officers on school liaison, co-response, and mobile youth services teams. Victoria resident Stephen Harrison, who obtained and published the records, raised concerns over a lack of accountability, noting that no one other than the individual officer has access to how the system is used.

Background: Generative AI in Law Enforcement

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