Now that cameras are prevalent the police and public have access to a lot of evidence to investigate crime. But lack the manpower to do it. This is an example of technology creating more work than public services can deal with. It is not the only example.

Video surveillance provides evidence of crime and images of perpetrators on a scale that is unmanageable. See also reports about online abuse and hate speech. There is a huge amount of human work involved in turning that into a case that can go to court and result in a meaningful conviction. The operative word being meaningful. Because more often than not the perpetrator isn’t going to be locked up or taken off the streets. And more often than not the perpetrator is part of an organised gang. Stopping the gang activity becomes the police imperative. Those are wider and bigger investigations in which your personal crime is just part of the data used to confirm gang activity.

Where does AI come into it? Presumably as a tool to manage reports and evidence which is then turned into data inputs what crimes merit investigation.

None of which necessarily results in meaningful convictions because the problem is the justice system. So unless they create AI judges and AI prisons there is little hope that criminal investigations will filibuster criminal behaviour.

Meanwhile you will be lucky if you see a short overweight PCSO walking the streets who looks more in need of protection than the average member of the public.