In this edition of World Policing Weekly, Bernard Rix and Ian Wiggett are joined by former US police leader Eddie Reyes for a wide-ranging discussion on policing technology, leadership and public safety. The episode explores the growing use of AI in emergency call handling, the risks of relying too heavily on automated systems, and why human judgement still matters when police are dealing with non-emergency calls, major incidents and criminal justice decisions.

The conversation also looks at National Guard deployments in Washington DC, police recruitment and retention, the importance of exit interviews, and the growing pressures facing police leaders in Canada, the UK and beyond. Across the episode, one theme keeps returning: technology and reform can improve policing, but only when they are backed by strong leadership, proper safeguards and a clear understanding of the people using them.

References

• ai-to-slash-101-wait-times-and-free-vital-police-time
• child-first-policing-framework-is-needed-to-ensure-children-only-face-arrest-and-detention-as-a-last-resort
• trump-put-thousands-of-soldiers-on-washingtons-streets-they-seldom-stop-crime
• https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/9CPPYNMXQN4UHCPAVVWU/full?target=10.1080/10439463.2026.2703692
• call-for-more-collaborative-leadership-to-address-high-turnover-of-chiefs-in-canadian-policing
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce34915qnx6o?app-referrer=deep-link
• gender-chance-and-the-long-game-in-police-leadership-a-discussion-with-christine-nixon
• incident-report-unsanctioned-agent-behaviour-during-cyber-testing
• watchdog-scathing-after-act-police-searched-indigenous-teen-even-after-they-realised-arrest-was-mistake
• ombudsman-report-into-act-policings-engagement-with-the-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-community
• why-police-have-been-told-to-pause-their-use-of-ai-in-court-cases
• the-officers-you-lost-already-told-you-why

Key takeaways

• AI is increasingly being used to route non-emergency police calls and reduce pressure on live call handlers.
• Eddie Reyes explains how AI can identify duplicate incident reports and ask callers whether they have genuinely new information to add.
• The discussion stresses that automation must still allow people to reach a live call handler when the situation requires it.
• Police leaders are being urged to slow down the use of AI in criminal justice when systems have not been properly assessed.
• National Guard deployments in Washington raise questions around reassurance, deterrence, displacement and the practical role of military personnel in public safety.
• Recruitment matters, but retention remains one of the biggest challenges facing police organisations around the world.
• Exit interviews can reveal why experienced officers leave, but forces often fail to capture or act on that information properly.
• Police leadership remains under intense pressure internationally, with growing calls for stronger support, oversight and more collaborative models.

Chapters
00:39 – Welcome to World Policing Weekly
05:53 – Can AI unclog police non-emergency lines?
08:14 – Eddie Reyes on AI in emergency communications
12:39 – Why police are being warned to slow AI down
16:14 – National Guard on the streets of Washington
22:43 – Why police need better exit interviews
26:37 – Recruitment, retention and keeping good officers
29:10 – Is police leadership in crisis?

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