New national AI policing centre set to help forces benefit from technology

Friday 30 Jan 2026 @ 10:10
techUK

A new national centre to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) by police forces has been announced, with technology taking a key role in police reform plans.

Police.AI will receive £115m funding from the Home Office to create a national hub to centralise innovation, ensure robust testing, and make approved AI tools available to all 43 forces in England and Wales.

Working with forces, other public bodies, academia, and technology firms, the centre will streamline the development and evaluation of AI products that offer the most benefit to policing and communities.

The AI solutions which meet Police.AI’s strict standards will then be made available to forces with tailored support and training, driving significant savings and ensuring consistent, responsible and transparent AI adoption.

Set to launch in April, the centre will develop a public-facing registry giving people information about how their local force is using AI and will also act as centre of expertise on criminal misuse of AI.

Police.AI will build on the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s (NPCC) ongoing work with industry to modernise policing and enhance public safety, which includes the publication of its Problem Book and partnership with techUK.

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