San Diego police bar officers from using generative AI in reports while adopting a policy required under California’s new law on AI-assisted police documents.
SAN DIEGO — In a newly released training order, the San Diego Police Department has formally barred officers from using generative artificial intelligence to write police reports.
The December 2025 order, obtained by CBS 8, was sent to officers two months after Governor Newsom signed a new state law requiring police departments to disclose any use of AI, whether in drafting or compiling reports.
In the order, SDPD informed all employees that they “shall not use any AI programs” to author reports unless the technology has been specifically approved by the department and its use authorized through a training bulletin, department order, policy or procedure.
The memo notes that “the Department does not authorize the use of any generative Artificial Intelligence programs to author a police report.”
The directive aligns the department with Senate Bill 524, which requires every law enforcement agency in the state to adopt policies governing the use of artificial intelligence in preparing official reports.
In addition to disclosing any use of AI, the state law also requires departments to keep any AI-generated reports for the entire time the department has the finalized report in its possession, with an audit trail that records who used AI, who edited the report, and what video footage, if any, was used.
The SDPD order states that it “does not give any authority to use any AI programs” and reiterates that any AI adopted in the future must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, the city of San Diego’s TRUST Ordinance on surveillance technology, department procedures, and city administrative regulations.