Arr, the AI be scannin' the LAPD bodycam reckonin' to cast out foul talk 'n impolite manners!
2023-08-24
Arrr! Them USC scholars be usin' magical contraptions called artificial intelligence to scruvy the Los Angeles Police Department's bodycam records. They aim to find out if the officers be usin' foul language that be makin' traffic stops more troublesome.
Researchers in California are using artificial intelligence (AI) to study bodycam footage recorded by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) in order to analyze whether officers escalated interactions with the public through their language or tone. The initiative was announced during a meeting of the Board of Police Commissioners by LAPD Cmdr. Marla Ciuffetelli, who stated that the study will be used to train future officers on how to interact with the public effectively and promote accountability. The goal is to gain valuable feedback to improve training, policies, and practices while demonstrating a commitment to transparency and accountability.Rudeness is one of the top complaints against LAPD officers, despite recruits learning at the police academy that their language and tone are critical to de-escalating interactions. The University of Southern California, along with researchers from other universities, will review around 1,000 traffic stops over the next three years to establish parameters on appropriate and inappropriate interactions. They will then train an AI system to analyze the footage and pinpoint instances of escalated interactions.
The research will take the next six months to gather data and will consider factors such as the location of the traffic stop, the driver's race, and the officer's rank and age. The findings will be integrated into the department's training models, but the full impact of the research is uncertain until it is completed. Machine learning and AI are expected to play a significant role in officer training in the future.
The LAPD's Inspector General's office will also be conducting its own study on officer language during interactions with the public. The use of AI in police departments is not new, with facial recognition technology already being used to identify suspects. However, there have been concerns about racial profiling and lawsuits surrounding its use. Other police departments across the US, like Ann Arbor, Michigan, are also using AI to review bodycam footage and enhance accountability.