Police want to transcribe interrogations with AI: Building their own language model

The Danish National Police (Rigspolitiet) is working on several AI projects that will process sensitive information about citizens. That's according to an expert, who compares it to venturing into shark-infested waters.

The projects could come to play a central role in the rule of law. Even so, it is not something the police talk about openly. You only find them if you dig deep into the Danish National Police's annual report for 2025.

One of the projects involves the police building their own language model. A language model is an AI program that can understand and write text. Among other things, it will be used to transcribe interrogations, so the police no longer have to write them down by hand.

In the annual report, the three projects have the title POLtekst, among others.

Risk with sensitive information

The expert warns that there are major risks involved in letting AI process sensitive personal data. This applies especially when the information is part of cases where an error can have serious consequences for citizens.

For readers, this means that AI may in the future play a role in how police conversations with witnesses and suspects are written down and used.