SB 524 addresses law enforcement agencies’ use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to create reports, such as AI software that analyzes camera footage or audio recordings to generate a report. The bill requires law enforcement agencies to adopt a policy governing the use of AI in preparing reports. The policy must include the following requirements.
If a law enforcement officer or agent uses AI, fully or in part, to draft a report, every page of the report must identify the specific AI program(s) used and prominently state: “This report was written either fully or in part using artificial intelligence.” The officer or agent who prepared the report must sign it to verify that they personally reviewed the report and the facts it states are true and correct. All drafts of the report (including earlier AI‐generated versions) must be retained for as long as the final report is retained. Drafts generated using AI cannot constitute an officer’s statement for legal purposes. The AI software program used must maintain an audit trail that, at a minimum, identifies who used AI to create the report, who made edits or changes, and, where applicable, any video footage used to generate content (e.g., body cameras). A contracted vendor providing AI services to a law enforcement agency may not share, sell, or use the agency’s data, except in limited circumstances.
Law enforcement agencies must adopt the required policy by January 1, 2026.
(SB 524 adds section 13663 to the Penal Code.)