Ward County Sheriff's Office Gets Commission Approval to Use AI for Report Writing
The Ward County Sheriff's Department won approval Tuesday to spend a $9,643 federal grant on software that uses AI to streamline report writing and improve investigative capabilities. The Ward County Commission voted 4-1 to authorize the purchase.
Sheriff Robert Roed and Capt. Jason Kraft told commissioners the department piloted the software and found it cuts time spent on reports while making them more detailed and consistent. The system guides officers through data entry and can flag patterns for investigators to review.
One commissioner opposed the decision. Ron Merritt said he remains uncomfortable with AI playing any role in decisions that could lead to incarceration. "I am much more forgiving of a human making a mistake," he said.
His concern reflects a real incident. Last year, a Fargo arrest warrant for a Tennessee woman relied partly on AI data analysis from facial recognition software. A judge dismissed the case after evidence showed the defendant had never been to North Dakota before her extradition.
Kraft assured commissioners that officers review and edit all AI-generated reports before they're filed. "If you see the efficiencies and improvements and things you can do with it, it's coming," he said, predicting other law enforcement agencies will follow.
The department will contract for the software for one year only. After the federal grant expires, the county would need to fund it directly if the department decides to continue.
Commissioner Jim Rostad said he trusts the department will monitor the system's performance. Commissioner Miranda Schuler called it "exciting" and said she expects it to improve efficiency.
Separate Digital Accessibility Deadline Extended
The commission also learned the federal deadline for making government documents accessible to people with disabilities has been pushed back one year to April 26, 2027.
The county currently has 3,978 documents online. Technology Director Jason Blowers said the extension allows the county to evaluate software options rather than rush into compliance. Existing documents can be marked as archived, which exempts them from conversion requirements.
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