Lakeland Police Get Controversial AI Reporting Tool

Lakeland police will soon use a new artificial intelligence tool that generates police reports under a nearly $22 million contract with Axon. The technology, called Axon Draft One, listens to body camera audio and automatically drafts incident reports based on the dialogue. Officers must then certify the accuracy of these AI-generated reports.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office already uses Draft One, a system that requires officers in Lakeland and surrounding areas to verify AI-generated narratives. Critics express concerns about the technology's transparency, particularly because Florida law does not require disclosure of AI-assisted reports. Axon designed the system to not store original drafts, a feature Noah Spitzer-Williams, Axon's senior product manager, explained in 2024: "The last thing we want to do is create more disclosure headaches for our customers and our attorneys offices." Opponents warn this design impedes transparency and could complicate criminal prosecutions, as defense attorneys may challenge the credibility of AI-generated reports in court.