Levinson-Waldman & Dyson’s “The Dangers of Unregulated AI in Policing”

Levinson-Waldman, R., & Dyson, I. (2025, June 30). The dangers of unregulated AI in Policing. Brennan Center for Justice. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/dangers-unregulated-ai-policing

AI use throughout policing in the United States poses significant implications to civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy by magnifying bias and inaccuracies, and encouraging bulk data collection. Rachel Levinson-Waldman and Ivey Dyson, writing for the Brennan Center for Justice, explore the legal risks of AI in policing in their brief, “The Dangers of Unregulated AI in Policing.” 

The authors provide an in-depth analysis of the history and application of AI within the U.S. AI’s prevalence in policing is recent and has emerged with the rise of technological development. Police departments throughout the country are using AI as a predictive tool and to analyze social media platforms for information. Still, their standards and procedures have to be established and consistent across departments. Concern for transparency and accountability is generally recognized across state and federal governments. While not fully addressed by the Courts or the legislature, implications for the First and Fourth Amendments are not only a concern but are likely under current applications of AI in police tactics. 

This article facilitates beneficial class discussion by providing a comprehensive review of the current state of AI within the police system and insight into the constitutional implications of these uses. Levinson-Waldman and Dyson provide an approachable, objective review of police systems, supported by case examples and legal research.