A new “Robocop” scheme in South Australia aims to help police officers spend more time on the beat and less time behind their desks.
The Malinauskas Labor government has unveiled plans to invest millions in artificial intelligence to help SA Police officers scythe through tedious but vital paperwork.
The scheme will roll out AI speech-to-text transcription to help officers transcribe interviews – a process that manually takes hours.
It is part of a $35m program called AI Proof of Value that looks at ways of using artificial intelligence to boost government services and operation.
The technology will help officers transcribe their interviews in real time rather than typing them up once the statements have been taken and recordings completed.
Officers will still have to manually check the AI transcription, but it is hoped it will vastly boost the time officers are able to spend on the beat.
“As a government, we have made extensive investments to see more police on active duty and less time stuck behind a desk,” SA Minister for State Development Chris Picton.
“This new smart technology trial is a practical use of AI that will make a real difference to the day-to-day job for SAPol officers.”
State AI Minister Michael Brown added that the move would place “less administrative burden” on police.
“By cutting down the time officers spend on paperwork, we’re freeing them up to focus on what matters most, keeping South Australians safe,” he said.
“Transcription is a time-consuming but essential part of policing. Using AI to streamline this process means faster reporting, less administrative burden, and a more modern, responsive police service.”
The three-month trial was also welcomed by Acting Assistant Police Commissioner David O’Donovan.
“Any initiative that can save officers time while maintaining a high standard of work will have a big impact for our staff,” he said.
“Utilising modern technology will allow us to return more time to frontline policing and keeping South Australians safe.”
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