Policing's first AI online crime reporting test goes live

A new AI-powered online crime reporting capability developed by the NPCC's Digital Public Contact (DPC) programme has today (Thursday 24 September) gone live at Cambridgeshire Constabulary.

Known as Citizen Assist, the technology allows members of the public to report non-emergency crime through natural conversation, removing the need to complete lengthy online forms or wait to speak to a 101 call handler.

The pilot marks a significant milestone in policing. While conversational AI tools are becoming increasingly common, Citizen Assist has been designed specifically for policing and is able to support the end-to-end reporting process, gathering information, building a structured crime report and submitting it directly into existing police systems.

For many people, reporting a crime online can be a time-consuming process. By allowing people to explain what has happened in their own words and asking relevant follow-up questions, this technology can help create more complete reports from the outset, benefiting both the public and investigating officers.

How it works

After selecting the Citizen Assist option on the Cambridgeshire Constabulary website, members of the public can:

• Have a natural conversation
• Answer follow-up questions about the incident
• Review the completed report before submission
• Receive a reference number and information about next steps

The pilot will initially focus on reporting pathways for assaults, threats, damage, and theft, allowing the technology to be tested and evaluated in a controlled environment before any wider rollout is considered. The technology has been introduced with appropriate governance and oversight arrangements and is designed to support, rather than replace, existing policing decision-making.

Chief Constable Simon Megicks is the Senior Responsible Officer for DPC as well at the national policing lead for public contact. He’s also the chief constable of Cambridgeshire Constabulary. He said:

"Reporting a crime online should be simple and straightforward, but for many people it can feel time-consuming and complicated. Citizen Assist aims to change that by guiding people through a natural conversation, allowing them to explain what has happened in their own words rather than work through a series of forms.

"By asking the right questions at the right time, the technology can help gather more complete information, making the process easier for the public and helping policing receive the details it needs more quickly.

"This pilot is an exciting opportunity to explore how AI can improve the way people interact with policing, making crime reporting simpler and more intuitive while maintaining the high standards of accuracy, accountability and trust that policing depends on. I am proud that Cambridgeshire Constabulary is leading the way in testing this innovative approach."

Darryl Preston, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough said:

“This pilot provides more opportunities to harness the power of digital services to support policing in preventing crime and disorder, whilst providing the public with increased accessibility in their interactions with the Constabulary when reporting crime. By piloting Citizen Assist we are at the forefront of ever-changing technology, giving the Constabulary the opportunity to understand what truly works for the public of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

“This is an exciting opportunity to test and refine a service which will deliver swifter and better outcomes for all our communities. I will be ensuring all relevant checks and balances are taking place throughout the pilot and would reassure the public that all existing methods of reporting crimes remain available to them.

“Whilst there are many benefits to be gained, I especially hope it will increase accessibility while reducing the need for victims to re live what happened to them. This is our opportunity to shape a national solution.”

Alex Murray OBE, interim director of PoliceAI, said: 

“People should be able to contact the police in the way that works best for them, whether that's speaking to someone directly or using a service like Citizen Assist. 

“By giving those who are comfortable using AI another option for reporting crime, we can make the process quicker and easier for the public while reducing bureaucracy for officers and staff, helping them spend more time supporting people and investigating crime. 

“At PoliceAI, we're focused on helping policing use AI safely and responsibly to improve services, build public trust and deliver better outcomes for communities.”

Subject to the outcome of the pilot, Citizen Assist will be made available more widely across policing. The underlying capability has been designed for reuse across both digital and voice channels, enabling future services such as conversational reporting, advice and guidance, citizen messaging and other public contact functions.