Police Department Investigates Real Crimes Using AI-

Powered Detective

Cybercrimes, Cold Cases, and the Rise of AI Bots

A British police department is testing a powerful new AI tool designed to help crack cold cases by condensing decades of detective work into just hours.

The software, developed in Australia and named Soze, is currently under evaluation by Avon and Somerset Police, which serves parts of South West England. This advanced platform analyses documents like financial records, videos, social media activity, emails, and other digital evidence.

Despite its promise, concerns remain. The developers haven’t disclosed Soze’s accuracy rate, raising alarms since AI systems can easily generate incorrect results or misleading insights.

AI That Works Like a Detective

Soze recently analysed evidence from 27 complex cases in just 30 hours. That task would have taken a human detective 81 years. Understandably, law enforcement agencies facing tight budgets and personnel shortages see this tool as a game-changer.

In an interview with Sky News, Gavin Stephens, Chair of the UK’s National Police Chiefs’ Council, said:

“You might have a cold case review that just looks impossible because of the amount of material there. Feed it into a system like this, which can just ingest it, then give you an assessment of it. I understand that to be helpful.”

Minority Reports and Major Risks

Stephens also mentioned another AI project, this one compiles a database of knives and swords linked to assaults and murders in the UK. The goal: identify patterns and suspects quickly.

But while these efforts sound innovative, experts caution against overreliance.

AI in law enforcement is notorious for generating false positives. Machines don’t guarantee fairness. They rely on human-provided data, which can carry built-in biases or inaccuracies.

This dilemma echoes scenes from the film Minority Report (2002), where authorities predict crimes before they happen, often with grave errors.

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights recently condemned police use of AI due to its troubling history of flawed predictions and unfair targeting.

The Bottom Line

AI can support criminal investigations, but it must operate under rigorous oversight. Its outcomes should inform, not dictate, police decisions.

Relying blindly on machines risks repeating and amplifying the same systemic issues that justice systems are still trying to overcome.