Metropolitan Police Investigate Hundreds of Officers After Using Palantir AI Tool to Uncover Misconduct

The Metropolitan Police used an AI tool from controversial tech firm Palantir to investigate hundreds of officers for misconduct, ranging from work-from-home violations to suspected corruption and criminal allegations like rape. Over a one-week deployment, the software analyzed internal data the force already holds, flagging rule-breaking across ranks. The most consistent offense was corruption, with 98 officers assessed for abusing the shift-rostering IT system for personal or financial gain, while 500 others received prevention notices for similar issues. Additionally, 42 senior officers (chief inspector to chief superintendent) were investigated for falsely claiming in-office attendance when working from home, violating the Met's 80% minimum attendance guideline. The AI also uncovered 12 officers under gross misconduct investigation for failing to declare Freemason membership—a required disclosure—and 30 others with suspected undeclared ties. Three officers were arrested for serious crimes including abuse of authority for sexual purposes, fraud, sexual assault, and misuse of police systems.

The Met commissioner, Mark Rowley, defended the AI deployment, stating it helps "build trust, reduce crime, and raise standards" by using technology to confront poor behavior. The force is also in talks to purchase Palantir tech for criminal investigations, despite Palantir's controversial ties to ICE, Donald Trump's immigration enforcement, and the Israeli military. This move has drawn criticism, especially after MPs recently demanded a £330m NHS contract with Palantir be scrapped. The Met has previously adopted other AI tools like drones and live facial recognition (LFR) to enhance policing. Rowley emphasized that the vast majority of officers serve with integrity, but the AI enables faster identification of risks and removal of those who undermine public trust, especially in leadership roles.