THE POLICE DATA CHALLENGE Copyright Policing Insight/Cognyte 2023 governance model on the police use of data analytics, clearer Home Office definitions on the roles and responsibilities for national policing bodies with regards to data analytics, and a need for greater transparency in how algorithms are used to inform decision-making, specifically to ensure transparent ethical review processes. Security and liberty It’s clear then that if the police use of digital data to aid investigations and inform decision-making – particularly in relation to AI-driven and automated process – is to get the strongest possible support from communities, the focus on ethics, transparency and governance will need to stay front and centre of future discussions. But while ethical approaches are essential, could there be a point where the ethics debate has to take second place to policing’s mission of public safety and crime prevention? North Yorkshire Chief Constable Lisa Winward, the National Police Chiefs’ Council Intelligence Portfolio Lead, believes that in some instances – oſten depending on the gravity of the crime – the public will support the use of such data to safeguard others. “I think there will be a line in the sand where the severity or gravity of the offence overtakes the human rights of the individual on social media,” CC Winward told Policing Insight. “So for sexual offences, child sexual abuse, there are serious offences where the public would say: ‘Liberty versus security? I’d actually rather have security than liberty. But if you’re talking about some minor motoring misdemeanour or shopliſting, then no, I don’t want you to use social media to identify these people because it’s not proportionate.’” “I think there will be a line in the sand where the severity or gravity of the offence overtakes the human rights of the individual on social media.” CC Lisa Winward NPCC National Intelligence Lead North Yorkshire Chief Constable Lisa Winward, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Intelligence Portfolio Lead