Northumbria University aims to enhance responsible policing with ethical AI review

Northumbria University has secured £286,000 in research funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) for a project exploring the impact of ethical review on responsible AI in policing.

The funding is part of a larger £100m boost for AI research by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), including AHRC’s Bridging Responsible AI Divides (BRAID) programme.

Led by Professor Marion Oswald MBE from Northumbria Law School, the research, titled “Ethical review to support Responsible AI in Policing – A Preliminary Study of West Midlands Police’s specialist data ethics review committee,” will collaborate with universities in Northampton, Glasgow, and Aberdeen.

The project aims to assess how the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and Data Ethics Committee can enhance the legitimacy and responsibility of AI in policing.

The research will also address challenges in the ethical review process and seek to better represent the views and interests of marginalised groups. Professor Oswald, known for her expertise in the legal and ethical implications of new technologies in policing, expressed enthusiasm for the project’s potential impact on responsible AI in policing.

“The deployment of AI and emerging technologies by the police promises more effective use of data for the prevention and detection of crime but brings with it considerable threats of disproportionality and interference with fundamental rights. The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and West Midlands Police data ethics committee aims to bridge the gap between ethical reflection, scientific rigour and a focus on human rights, thus contributing to responsible AI in policing.”

Professor Marion Oswald MBE, Northumbria Law School.

Professor Christopher Smith, Executive Chair of AHRC and UKRI International Champion, highlighted the importance of understanding AI’s impact on various sectors, emphasising the lasting contributions these projects will make to defining and practicing responsible AI.

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