Pocatello approves one‑year contract to pilot AI‑assisted police report drafting

The Pocatello City Council voted April 16 to approve a one‑year service contract with Code 4 for AI‑assisted report drafting and video analysis, a contract staff described as a trial intended to reduce officers’ administrative time.

Captain Zach Barie of the Pocatello Police Department told the council that the tool creates draft reports from body‑worn video and other inputs; when AI is used a disclosure line will appear on the report. "At the bottom of the report if AI is used there's a line in there that says the report was generated edited and modified in part or whole using Code 4's AI," Barie said. He emphasized that officers will review and edit drafts and must sign off on reports before they are submitted to supervisors or court.

Council members pressed staff on accuracy and retention. Barie said body‑worn video will remain available as a backup and will be stored in a separate system with retention controls. Council discussed contract length and agreed the one‑year term allows the department to evaluate performance and alternatives without a long‑term commitment.

The council approved the $33,600 one‑year contract and authorized the mayor to sign documents subject to legal review. City staff expects to evaluate the tool during the contract year and report back to the council at the contract’s conclusion.

The council’s approval formalizes use as a pilot; officers retain responsibility to verify and sign each report and body‑worn video will be available to resolve discrepancies between a drafted report and recorded footage.