Cheshire Police are working on a new AI (artificial intelligence) tool to help find signs of stalking sooner.
This project was made possible after Police and Crime Commissioner Dan Price secured £300,000 from the Police STAR Fund (Science, Technology, Analysis and Research).
The AI tool will make police work more efficient by helping officers spot stalking behaviour quickly.
Dan Price said it’s important for the police to use modern technology to fight crime. He explained that improving Cheshire Police with new tools is part of his main plan. He also hopes that if the tool works well in Cheshire, other police forces across the country will use it too. This could help more victims and make people trust the police more.
Right now, Cheshire Police gets about 10 stalking reports every day. These are reviewed by a special team called the Harm Reduction Unit (HRU), which checks for real threats and supports victims.
The new AI system will read incident reports written by call handlers when they speak to victims. It will be trained with help from the HRU and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, a charity focused on personal safety. The AI will be able to spot stalking behaviours, even if the word “stalking” isn’t used. If a case seems like stalking, it will alert the HRU right away.
Detective Chief Inspector Danielle Knox, who leads stalking cases at Cheshire Police, said stalking can seriously harm victims and their families. She added that the sooner police can spot the signs, the better they can protect people. The goal is to hold stalkers accountable and keep victims safe.
This AI project is part of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s efforts to support new safety programs. Without this funding, starting such early intervention work might not have been possible.
Dan Price’s Police and Crime Plan, which runs until 2028, focuses on three key goals:
- Using new technology,
- Listening to the public, and
- Reducing crime.
Source: knutsfordguardian
