Sachsen-Anhalt’s police are planning to use artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze people’s behavior in public areas to detect signs of crime. State Interior Minister Tamara Zieschang (CDU) commented on this, stating that “such AI technologies can make a valuable contribution to crime prevention and law enforcement at crime hot spots” when speaking to the “Mitteldeutsche Zeitung”.
The technology in question involves programs capable of identifying suspicious behavioral patterns within video recordings from surveillance cameras, particularly those located in public spaces like train stations. Currently, the existing police law of Saxony-Anhalt does not authorize the evaluation of biometric data. Because of this legal shortcoming, Zieschang believes immediate action is necessary, noting that “society’s expectations of the police are high, to utilize modern technologies and thereby improve public safety”. The use of AI is included in these expected improvements.
For such a system to be implemented, Zieschang emphasized that it would require legislative powers, adherence to high data privacy standards, and robust technical and organizational concepts. The CDU politician expressed willingness to bridge this gap, stating, “I am open to creating the legal prerequisites for using AI in our state. After all, it cannot be acceptable that criminals have more opportunities than the police”.
