Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what role new technology adoption and efficiency tools, including artificial intelligence, will play in reaching the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee target of 13,000 additional police personnel.

New technologies, including artificial intelligence, will play an important role in supporting the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee by improving productivity and, over time, freeing up officers to focus on frontline duties.

The Government is investing in the rapid and responsible adoption of AI across policing, including over £115 million over the next three years. This will be delivered through PoliceAI, a new National Centre for AI in Policing, which will support forces to test, assure and scale AI tools, while providing transparency through a public register of systems in use. These tools are already helping to automate time‑intensive tasks such as analysis of CCTV and triage of 101 calls, enabling officers to spend more time in their communities. By 2028-29 we estimate AI adoption will free up 6 million hours of police time per year, equivalent to 3,000 extra officers.

Alongside this, we have also launched a Police Efficiency and Collaboration Programme to support policing to free up thousands of additional officer hours by the end of FY2028/29. As part of that we are investing in the Centre for Police Productivity within the College of Policing, to scale what works, spread innovation nationally, and ensure forces are delivering real, measurable productivity gains to achieve this target.

Technology is not a substitute for officers. Its primary role is to support policing by reducing administrative burdens and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of investigations. We want officer time spent solving crimes and protecting our communities.