A groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) system has been developed to help law enforcement identify knives, track their origins, and analyze crime patterns with greater efficiency, researchers have announced.
The system, named Knife Hunter, was created by Surrey University’s Institute for People-Centred AI in partnership with the Metropolitan Police. The AI-powered tool enables officers to quickly log found, seized, or recovered weapons, generate detailed reports on knife crime trends, and provide crucial insights to help shape policing strategies and policymaking.
According to Surrey University, the development of Knife Hunter marks a “major step forward” in tackling one of the most pressing issues affecting public safety today. The system has already undergone trials as part of the Metropolitan Police’s Operation Spectre, a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing knife-related violence and crime.
Knife crime has remained a significant concern in England and Wales, with statistics revealing that more than 50,000 knife crime offences were recorded between June 2023 and June 2024—a 4% increase from the previous year. The surge in cases has intensified efforts to find innovative solutions that can support police forces in identifying, tracking, and preventing knife-related incidents.
Professor Miroslaw Bober, the lead researcher at the Institute for People-Centred AI, expressed confidence in the system’s ability to enhance policing efforts and streamline crime-fighting strategies across the country.
“For the past three years, we’ve partnered with the Metropolitan Police to develop a system that we believe could revolutionize how forces across the country tackle knife crime.”
“This technology is a major step forward in helping uncover the origins of weapons in our communities. By leveraging AI, we can provide law enforcement with faster, more accurate intelligence that will aid them in their investigations and potentially save lives.”
“We are excited about the potential for Knife Hunter and similar tools to work alongside police and local communities to create safer streets for everyone.”
Knife Hunter is built on an advanced AI-driven image recognition system that has been trained using a vast dataset of over 25,000 images, covering 550 different types of knives.
This cutting-edge system can detect even the most subtle identifying features of a weapon, regardless of viewing angle, lighting conditions, or background interference. The technology allows police officers to scan and analyze knives with precision, making it easier to:
Identify and categorize knives more efficiently
Trace the distribution and origins of weapons
Link seized knives to past crimes
Detect patterns in knife crime hotspots
Strengthen intelligence-sharing between forces
This rapid and highly accurate detection system ensures that law enforcement can respond to knife crime more proactively, allowing them to disrupt supply chains, track down sources, and identify trends before they escalate.
Professor Adrian Hilton, the Director of the Institute for People-Centred AI, emphasized the crucial role that AI-driven innovations like Knife Hunter could play in transforming modern crime prevention methods.
“This research innovation is timely and much needed in today’s world. We’re demonstrating how people-centred AI can be used not just for technological advancements, but also to enhance safety, improve policing, and support community wellbeing.”
The adoption of AI-driven policing tools marks a shift in how crime-fighting technologies are evolving. With systems like Knife Hunter, authorities can move beyond reactive policing and towards predictive cri me prevention, using data analysis to forecast risks and take preemptive actions.
As the Metropolitan Police and other forces across the country continue to explore the potential of AI in law enforcement, tools like Knife Hunter could pave the way for smarter, more efficient policing, ultimately reducing knife-related incidents and making communities safer.
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