GOODYEAR, Ariz. — A new tool is reshaping an old investigative staple: the police sketch. The Goodyear Police Department has started testing artificial intelligence to generate suspect “sketches,” the Phoenix New Times reported.
The most recent of the “sketches” was intended to help identify a man suspected of firing a gunshot, according to the report. A spokesperson for the department stated that AI tools were only used twice, not on a consistent basis. The first time was back in April for a suspect accused of grabbing a young student who managed to escape.
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“The artist still conducts the full interview and hand-draws the sketch based on the witness description,” Sgt. Mayra Reeson told the Phoenix New Times. “The only difference is that they now use AI, including tools like ChatGPT, to enhance the final image so it appears more realistic. It does not replace the traditional process; it just sharpens the final product.”
Officer Mike Bonasera, the department’s sketch artist, said that before using the AI tools for suspect images, the process was tested on suspects who had been arrested, according to the report. The results impressed Bonasera, Chief Brian Issitt and County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.
“Once we started doing all these tests, the chief saw it and was like, ‘Holy moly, this is amazing,’” Bonasera told the Phoenix New Times. “… You still need the artist, and the artist has to create this drawing because the drawing is what is going to make your AI rendition more accurate.”
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Bonasera acknowledged concerns that a photorealistic image might lead the public to believe the police have more certainty about the suspect than a drawing would imply. He also pointed to increased engagement with the AI-adapted image compared with traditional sketches.
“It was overwhelming for our detectives. Usually, when you just put out a sketch, people tend to not really engage with it as much,” he said. “It’s making people look.”
What do you see as the most promising — and most concerning — aspects of using AI to enhance police sketches?
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