Met Police Deploy Palantir AI to Flag Potential Misconduct, Triggering Investigations for 600 Officers

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) deployed Palantir technology to consolidate professional-standards data and flag potential misconduct, triggering internal investigations and prevention notices affecting more than600officers, according to The Register.

“Met Police criticised over 'intrusive' use of AI The Metropolitan Police has been criticised over the pilot of a controversial AI tool to assess officers' device data, which its staff association described as "intrusive"”

BBC

The Register reported that the rollout included continuous geo-location tracking that the Metropolitan Police Federation said it had not been told about, with Federation general secretary Matt Cane calling the tracking "highly intrusive".

BBC

The MPS told The Register the new capability supports a "public health style approach" focused on early identification, prevention and proportionate intervention, and said Palantir helped identify corruption that led to arrests and suspensions.

Computing and The Canary provided additional coverage of rights and privacy concerns, while The Register documented disciplinary actions and prevention notices that followed the one-week deployment.

The Register said the deployment produced investigations, prevention notices and assessments affecting more than600officers, including arrests and suspensions that the MPS said were linked to corruption findings.

In parallel, the BBC reported that the pilot used a controversial AI tool to assess officers' device data, drawing on data the Met already lawfully holds to identify potential concerns about officers' behaviour.

The BBC said that within a week of Palantir's rollout, the Met's Professionalism Directorate identified hundreds of potential misconduct breaches and several alleged criminal offences, including two arrests and two suspensions after potential criminal activity was flagged.

Across multiple reports, the MPS described the Palantir system as analysing internal data already held by the force to identify misconduct, ranging from minor rule violations to serious criminal activity.

The Independent said the Met launched hundreds of investigations into suspected rogue officers flagged by the tool, and the force said three people had been arrested on suspicion of criminal offences including abuse of authority for sexual purposes, fraud, sexual assault, rape, misconduct in public office.

Computing UK

Computing UK said three officers had been arrested following the operation on suspicion of offences including fraud, sexual assault, misuse of police systems and abuse of authority for sexual purposes, and that further disciplinary proceedings were under way in multiple cases.

The BBC provided a breakdown of hundreds of officers being assessed and issued prevention notices, including 98 officers being assessed for misconduct and another 500 receiving prevention notices after being flagged for abusing the IT duty-rostering system for personal or financial gain.

The BBC also said 42 senior leaders were being assessed for non-compliance with the Met's hybrid working policy, having failed to meet the requirement to attend the office in person at least 80% of the time.

The BBC reported that 12 officers were facing gross misconduct proceedings for failing to declare they are Freemasons, while another 30 had received prevention notices for suspected but uncorroborated undeclared membership.

LBC said the Met used Palantir systems to analyse data including sickness records, overtime, expenses, building access and public complaints, and that in a week-long AI pilot run without officers’ knowledge the investigation uncovered years of abuse by senior officials including false overtime claims and lying about where they were working.

The Metropolitan Police Federation framed the Palantir deployment as an invasion of privacy and said it was considering legal action, while advising officers to be “extremely cautious” about carrying Metropolitan Police-issued devices while off duty.

“Ad London’s Met Police investigate hundreds of officers after AI flags misconduct risks Published: 26 April 2026 Last updated: 28 April 2026”

Cybernews

In a statement quoted by The Register, Matt Cane said, "For several weeks, the federation has known of Met’s intention to upgrade its Lawful Business Monitoring software, yet we were never informed that the upgrade would include the deployment of Palantir's artificial intelligence."

The Register also quoted Cane saying, "This continuous 24/7 geo-location tracking is highly intrusive and risks monitoring officers when they are off duty, on rest days, or at home."

Help Net Security likewise quoted Cane describing the use of AI as, "Courageous colleagues across London do not deserve to be treated with this level of suspicion by their Big Brother bosses," and called it, "an outrageous and unforgivable invasion of privacy."

The Independent reported that the federation warned officers not to use work devices when off duty and said it had not been informed that the AI would be used "to analyse the movements of cops in the capital".

The BBC said the federation was aware of an upgrade to the Lawful Business Monitoring software but that staff "were never informed that the upgrade would include the deployment of Palantir's Artificial Intelligence", again citing Cane.

The BBC also quoted Cane asking, "Where is the transparency on this purge and the reassurance that the correct checks and balances are there on such a significant move?" and said the federation accused the force of undermining officers' right to a private life under Article 8 of the Human Rights Act, as well as GDPR protections.

Met leaders defended the Palantir deployment as a tool to raise standards and fix the force’s foundations, and they linked the initiative to a wider technology push and to past scandals.

The MPS said it had introduced new capabilities with Palantir to consolidate professional standards data the force holds on its officers, and it characterised the approach as enabling a "public health style approach" focused on early identification, prevention and proportionate intervention.

LBC

The Register quoted MPS commissioner Sir Mark Rowley saying, "By bringing together the information we already lawfully hold, we can identify risk earlier, act faster and be fairer and more consistent," and said the technology represents a step forward for removing those who should not be in policing.

Help Net Security quoted Rowley saying, "Criminals are constantly adapting how they use technology and policing has to keep pace, not just on the streets but within our own organisation."

The BBC reported that Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said, "This is the Met using technology, data and stronger legal powers to confront poor behaviour, raise standards and fix our foundations as our communities would expect."

The Register also said the deployment was part of a broader technology push under Rowley that expanded the force's use of drones and live facial recognition (LFR), and it noted that a legal challenge to the force's use of LFR failed just last week.

LBC described the crackdown as part of an “integrity reset” launched in the wake of the Sarah Everard murder and the Charing Cross scandal, and it said Rowley told the Daily Mail, "we've still got further to dig down for the people who are determined not to change."

The Palantir deployment has also triggered political and regulatory scrutiny, with reporting describing concerns about transparency, oversight, and whether the Met could expand the use of AI beyond internal discipline.

“Met could expand Palantir AI use after 'hundreds' identified in rogue officer crackdown The findings mean hundreds of rogue police officers are now facing the sack after the AI software revealed officers engaged in serious corruption and criminality, including abuse of authority for sexual purposes and fraud”

LBC

The Register said London mayor Sadiq Khan was not consulted on the Palantir contract, which fell below the £500,000 threshold requiring mayoral scrutiny, and it quoted a spokesperson saying Khan had concerns about "using public money to support firms who act contrary to London's values."

Let's Data Science

The BBC similarly said Khan had no role in approving the contract because it fell below the £500,000 scrutiny threshold, and it quoted the spokesperson adding that the mayor would have concerns about using public money to support firms acting contrary to London's values.

LBC said Scotland Yard was considering expanding its use of AI in criminal investigations after it used secret software to help uncover hundreds of Met officers accused of misconduct, corruption and abuse of internal systems, and it said the Metropolitan Police was exploring whether similar AI tools could be used beyond internal discipline.

LBC also reported that MPs called for a review of the Met’s contracts with Palantir this week, following concerns about the company’s manifesto, and it described critics warning that as use grows, concerns over surveillance and accountability would increase.

The Times reported that this week MPs called for a review of government contracts involving Palantir, and it said the Metropolitan Police was now considering expanding its use of artificial intelligence to analyse crime data.

Cybernews reported that the UK has more than £500 million ($676 million) in contracts with Palantir, including deals with the police and Ministry of Defence, and it said there was a £330 million contract with the National Health Service (NHS).