The Home Office will legislate to allow police officers to use artificial intelligence to review and summarise digital evidence, following recommendations from Jonathan Fisher KC’s Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences. PoliceAI will pilot the technology before possible expansion across police forces in 2027.
The reforms were announced on 14 July 2026 following Jonathan Fisher KC’s Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences. They address disclosure guidance introduced in 1996, when most case material was held in physical files rather than across phones, emails, videos and cloud storage.
Some modern investigations contain data equivalent to more than 500,000 electronic books, while an average fraud case can involve over four million documents. Officers currently identify, process and provide written summaries of material that could be relevant to an investigation.
Police Disclosure Rules to Allow AI Evidence Review
The existing disclosure framework predates smartphones, social media platforms and widely used encrypted messaging services. The Home Office said the volume of digital material generated during investigations has made manual evidence management increasingly resource-intensive.
Disclosure requires investigators to identify material relevant to a case and ensure information is handled in a way that supports fair and impartial proceedings. The proposed changes will update the rules governing how officers process extensive collections of digital files.
- Current guidance: Disclosure guidance was introduced in 1996.
- Fraud investigations: An average case can contain more than four million documents.
- Large investigations: Some cases involve data equivalent to over 500,000 electronic books.
Officers Will Retain Evidence Decisions
The government intends to legislate so officers can use technology to identify, sort and compile files that are currently reviewed manually. AI tools will also be tested for producing summaries of digital material for investigators.
The Home Office said officers will remain responsible for professional decisions about evidence and disclosure. The technology is intended to assist with administrative processing rather than replace human assessment within criminal investigations.
PoliceAI to Pilot Evidence Summaries Before 2027 Expansion
PoliceAI, the National Centre for Police AI, will use Home Office funding to pilot tools capable of automatically generating summaries of digital evidence. The results will inform whether the technology can be deployed across police forces during 2027.
The centre is backed by £75 million of government funding and forms part of the wider police reform programme. PoliceAI is expected to help release an estimated six million hours of police time annually by 2028, which the government described as equivalent to 3,000 officers.
- Pilot activity: PoliceAI will test automated summaries of digital material.
- National timetable: Wider force deployment may begin during 2027.
- Productivity estimate: The programme could release six million police hours annually by 2028.
Disclosure Work Accounted for 532,000 Police Hours
The Policing Productivity Review estimated that officers spent approximately 532,000 hours during 2022 and 2023 completing disclosure work and building case files that were later assessed by the Crown Prosecution Service as requiring no further action.
The reforms are intended to reduce time spent processing large collections of emails, messages, videos, phone records and cloud-based files. The Home Office said this would allow investigators to devote more time to victims, active inquiries and the pursuit of offenders.
National Governance Forum Will Oversee Disclosure AI
The Home Office has also accepted Dr Fisher’s recommendation to move towards centralised procurement of police technology. This work is already being developed through the police reform programme and the creation of a National Police Service.
A national governance forum for disclosure technology will bring together policing, judiciary, prosecution and government representatives. The forum will oversee the adoption of emerging tools and support safeguards, testing standards and responsible use across the disclosure system.
- AI evidence review: Legislation will allow police to use approved technology to identify, sort and compile digital material.
- PoliceAI pilot: Automated evidence summaries will be tested before possible wider deployment during 2027.
- National procurement: Police technology purchasing will increasingly be coordinated through the wider reform programme.
- Governance: Policing, judiciary, prosecution and government representatives will oversee emerging disclosure technology.
Police Disclosure and AI Programme
| Indicator | Figure | Context |
|---|---|---|
| PoliceAI funding | £75 million | Government funding for the national centre |
| Projected time released | Six million hours | Annual estimate by 2028 |
| Officer equivalent | 3,000 officers | Government comparison |
| Disclosure workload | 532,000 hours | Estimated during 2022 and 2023 |
Police and Justice Response
Ministerial Comment
Sarah Jones, Minister for Policing and Crime Prevention said;
“Police officers are wasting thousands of hours trawling through phones, emails, messages, videos and cloud storage because of outdated regulations.
That’s time that should be spent supporting victims, investigating crime and bringing offenders to justice.
By embracing AI and new technology responsibly, we will boost productivity, bring policing into the 21st Century and free officers to focus on the frontline.”
Al Murray, Interim Director of PoliceAI said;
“Used responsibly, AI can help officers and investigators manage vast amounts of material more efficiently, allowing them to spend more time supporting victims, pursuing offenders and exercising the professional judgement that technology can never replace.”
Graham McNulty QPM, Director of the Serious Fraud Office said;
“Modern fraud, bribery and corruption cases involve vast amounts of digital data, and our disclosure regime must keep pace with that reality. I welcome the government’s response to disclosure reform, which marks a positive step forward.”
Chief Constable Tim De Meyer, disclosure lead for the National Police Chiefs’ Council said;
“Good disclosure practice is essential for the fair and impartial investigation that is needed to ensure a fair trial.”
The police disclosure reforms establish a route for AI-assisted evidence review while retaining human responsibility for professional disclosure decisions. PoliceAI testing, national procurement and the new governance forum will shape whether approved tools are deployed more widely during 2027.
The scale of digital evidence has become a significant operational issue for investigators, particularly in complex fraud and data-heavy cases. The reforms will now test whether AI can reduce administrative processing while preserving the disclosure standards required for fair and impartial criminal proceedings.
Sources: Home Office, Sarah Jones MP and The Rt Hon Lord Hanson of Flint.
Prepared by Ivan Alexander Golden, Founder of THX News, an independent news organisation delivering timely insights from global official sources. Combines AI-analysed research with human-edited accuracy and context.
