Anders Schogster and Jonas Hansson from the Police Education Unit together with Juan Carlos Nieves Sanchez, Associate Professor of Computing Science, are collaborating in a unique project. Photo: Victoria Skeidsvoll
Anders Schogster and Jonas Hansson from the Police Education Unit together with Juan Carlos Nieves Sanchez, Associate Professor of Computing Science, are collaborating in a unique project. Photo: Victoria Skeidsvoll

Press release -

AI for future policing now being developed in Umeå

Police officers will be able to use AI and new mixed-reality technology to test and develop ways to improve situational awareness in critical situations such as gang violence and shootings. "Our responsible AI research will be directly useful for police officers in the field," says Juan Carlos Nieves Sanchez, Associate Professor and Research Leader in Computing Science at Umeå University.

AI is now being tested in an increasing number of societal sectors, including the Swedish Police Authority. In Umeå, a collaboration between the Department of Computing Science, the Police Education Unit at Umeå University, Comet Global Innovation and Mossos d'Esquadra, the police squad in Barcelona, is now underway.

What distinguishes this research project from others is its focus on developing advanced solutions with the utmost consideration of ethical aspects.

“There are numerous benefits of AI, but there are also risks. In this project, we aim to facilitate and protect the police in their work while also protecting human rights," says Juan Carlos Nieves Sanchez.

Visualising information

He cites the recent shooting in the US, the events at Drottninggatan, Stockholm, and gang crime as examples.

“Being a police officer in such situations is difficult. With responsibly designed AI and new mixed reality technology, it would be possible to give the police a bigger picture, right on the spot. This is due to the technology's ability to weave together information from, for example, the command center, drones and social media so that they become visually visible," says Juan Carlos Nieves Sanchez.

"Through advanced glasses, you see not only the situation you are in but also other information and data."

Responsible AI solutions

Juan Carlos Nieves Sanchez is one of many internationally renowned researchers currently working at Umeå University who wish to influence the development of AI in a positive direction.

"We want to ensure that the new technology is used in the right way so that it does not harm society and people. We also follow the discussions on the new EU regulation on artificial intelligence,” he says.

Most involved in the project is Jonas Hansson, researcher and lecturer in police work, especially police conflict management at the police education unit at Umeå University. As a former police officer, Hansson knows what to do in critical situations.

“The police are facing new challenges that require other types of solutions. We use a variety of technologies and simulators to improve and streamline our work, but we want to go further. In this collaboration, we hope to provide the police with advanced
support to quickly create an understanding of a situation to act in a legally secure way," says Jonas Hansson.

Reverse the negative trend

Here, it is crucial to start with the users – the police officers on site.

“The challenge is to get them to analyse their needs and at the same time see new possibilities for problems they may not be fully aware of. What is important is that we avoid the negative effects that technology can bring," says Jonas Hansson.

The Department of Computing Science and the Police Education Unit at Umeå University have recently started working together on education and research. Both Hansson and Nieves Sanchez see several long-term positive effects from the collaboration.

"We are hopeful that the strong AI research at Umeå University can contribute to reversing the negative social development in terms of crime that we have seen in Sweden in recent years," says Jonas Hansson.

For more information, please contact:

Juan Carlos Nieves Sanchez, Associate professor in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Department of Computing Science, Umeå
University. Deputy Programme Director of the MSc programme in AI.

Telephone: +46 90 786 61 25.

E-mail: juan.carlos.nieves@umu.se

Jonas Hansson, Researcher and Senior lecturer at the Basic Training Programme for Police Officers at Umeå University. Distinguished university teacher and former police officer.

Telephone: +46 73 023 44 15.

E-mail: jonas.hansson@umu.se

For further questions, please contact:

Communications Officer Victoria Skeidsvoll

Telephone: +46 70-616 57 88

E-mail: victoria.skeidsvoll@umu.se

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Umeå University is one of Sweden’s largest institutions of higher education with over 37,000 students and 4,300 faculty and staff. The university is home to a wide range of high-quality education programmes and world-class research in a number of fields. Umeå University was also where the revolutionary gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 was discovered that has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

At Umeå University, distances are short. The university's unified campus encourages academic meetings, an exchange of ideas and interdisciplinary co-operation, and promotes a dynamic and open culture in which students and staff rejoice in the success of others.

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Umeå University

Umeå University is one of Sweden's largest universities with over 37,000 students and 4,300 employees. The university is home to a wide range of education programmes and world-class research in a number of fields. Umeå University was also where the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 was discovered – a revolution in gene-technology that was awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Founded in 1965, Umeå University is characterised by tradition and stability as well as innovation and change. Education and research on a high international level contributes to new knowledge of global importance, inspired, among other things, by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The university houses creative and innovative people that take on societal challenges. Through long-term collaboration with organisations, trade and industry, and other universities, Umeå University continues to develop northern Sweden as a knowledge region.

The international atmosphere at the university and its unified campus encourages academic meetings, an exchange of ideas and interdisciplinary co-operation. The cohesive environment enables a strong sense of community and a dynamic and open culture in which students and staff rejoice in the success of others.

Campus Umeå and Umeå Arts Campus are only a stone's throw away from Umeå town centre and are situated next to one of Sweden's largest and most well-renowned university hospitals. The university also has campuses in the neighbouring towns Skellefteå and Örnsköldsvik.

At Umeå University, you will also find the highly-ranked Umeå Institute of Design, the environmentally certified Umeå School of Business, Economics and Statistics and the only architectural school with an artistic orientation – Umeå School of Architecture. The university also hosts a contemporary art museum Bildmuseet and Umeå's science centre – Curiosum. Umeå University is one of Sweden's five national sports universities and hosts an internationally recognised Arctic Research Centre.

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