Deploying an AI tool nationally to help the Police tackle ‘county lines’ drug crime

In what are commonly known as ‘county lines’ operations, organised criminal gangs regularly transport illegal drugs across police or local authority boundaries. As part of an initiative to crack down on county lines operations, a unique AI solution to identify behavioural patterns around suspected county lines activity was developed. After a successful small-scale trial, the Centre for Data and Analytics in Policing (CDAP), in collaboration with the Home Office Accelerated Capability Environment, chose us to help deploy the Find and Profile Tool at a national scale on the new National Policing Capabilities Environment (NPCE) provided through the Police Digital Service.

We led the discovery, testing and refinement of the processes required to host and support a national AI tool on the National Police Capabilities Environment. Alongside our partners in CDAP and the Home Office Accelerated Capability Environment, the team worked through every area of the PDS secure-by-design process. We stress-tested and defined standard operating procedures for every part of the tool – from how police commands can ensure best use of it, how it could be scaled, and its associated infrastructure requirements.

This AI solution is now part of an ongoing trial with three regional organised crime units (ROCU). They continue to access and use the technology to identify and stop vehicles, having already successfully seized £100k worth of drugs and weapons and multiple arrests. The project has proved the viability of this kind of strategic, data-driven policing initiative on a national scale.