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Online webinar "What do you think about how the police should use big data and machine learning?"

The UCL Institute for Global City Policing and Canterbury Centre for Policing Research at Canterbury Christ Church University are pleased to invite you to the second event of their joint seminar online series

Title:

Date: Wednesday 3rd March,

Location: Zoom details provided after registration

Register Here

The debate over how the police are using big data, algorithms and machine learning is intensifying. It is considered in some quarters as controversial as stop and search and has been criticised for being discriminatory towards black and minority ethnic groups, and for having marginal effects on reducing crime. The police use of machine learning algorithms has also been condemned by human rights groups who claim such programmes encourage racial profiling and discrimination along with threatening privacy and freedom of expression.

Machine learning has been used successfully in many industries to create efficiency, prioritise risk and improve decision making. Although they are at a very early stage, the police in the UK are exploring the benefits of using big data and machine learning methods to prevent and detect crime, and to develop new insights to tackle problems of significant public concern. These activities are controversial and, in a democratic society, should be part of the public conversation about policing in the UK.

In this seminar, from both an academic and practical perspective, leading researchers in the field provide a critical reflection on the use of data, algorithms and machine learning in policing. The seminar will discuss three broad questions: how can the police use data, algorithms and machine learning lawfully and ethically? how can their use be transparent, explainable and accountable? and does their use by the police need to be regulated by new policy and oversight mechanisms?"

The format for the event will be as follows:

2.00 - 2.10pm: Opening and introduction - Prof Steve Tong - CCCU

2.10 - 2.30pm: Alexander Babuta - "Data analytics and algorithms in policing”

2.35 - 2.55 pm: Dr Bennett Kleinberg - "Will crime science become data science?”

3.00 - 3.20pm: Detective Superintendent Andy Featherstone - "Evidence Based Investigative Tool (EBIT): A Framework for the legitimate application of statistical triage for volume crime”

3.25 - 3.45pm: Giles Herdale – “‘Embedding ethics into police use of technology”

3.45 - 4.00pm: Panel and questions facilitated by Steve

UCL Department of Security and Crime Science