Question: What is Artificial intelligence?
Answer: Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to a computer, computer system, or set of algorithms based in computer software with the capability of imitating intelligent human behavior. Currently, most commercially available computer systems and software incorporate some form of AI to perform tasks that normally require manual human effort, such as sorting information, recognizing patterns, and generating unique content (e.g., drafting documents or generating computer code).
Some AI tools can be used directly like Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate human-like content, while other tools use some form of AI to help with data analysis and processing like Machine Learning or Deep Learning, which have been used in many capacities for a decade or more.
Question: Why would the Sheriff’s Office use AI?
Answer: Like most large organizations, the Sheriff’s Office procures numerous software-based tools to facilitate its core mission and support its day‑to‑day administrative and operational work. Most products today use some form of software that is either developed or supported by AI. Without these products, the Sheriff’s Office server systems would be unable to send emails, manage personnel payroll, operate a public website, store evidence, generate reports, etc. The Sheriff’s Office has primarily focused on using tools enabled by Machine Learning and Deep Learning for data analytics and data‑processing purposes.
Question: Are there rules governing how Sheriff’s Office personnel use AI?
Answer: Yes. In 2025, the Sheriff’s Office adopted a policy (one of the first in the nation) on the office’s use of AI and a framework on how the office would evaluate AI-enabled solutions for its administrative and operational work. This policy reflects the Sheriff’s Office’s core values and focuses on five principles to ensure it uses AI safely and responsibly. These core values include:
- Transparency
- Accountability
- Privacy
- Bias Mitigation.
- Human Control.
Human control is central to the Sheriff’s Office’s use of any AI product or any system that incorporates AI in its functionality or development. Human control of AI usage is commonly referred to as Human-in-the-Loop (HITL). Under a HITL framework, no critical decision is made based solely on the output of an AI‑enabled system without review by a human being. Put another way, the Sheriff’s Office does not utilize fully autonomous systems to make critical decisions.
Question: How does the Sheriff’s Office evaluate tools that utilize AI?
Answer: The Sheriff’s Office conducts a strict review of all potential procurements that are AI‑enabled. Every product is categorized under a use framework in which possible AI‑enabled solutions are classified according to their impact on the Sheriff’s Office’s operations, including administrative uses, investigative uses, strategic planning uses, and life‑safety uses. Each use case evaluates AI‑enabled solutions differently, depending on the criticality of the Sheriff’s Office’s needs. In all applicable use cases, the Sheriff’s Office will always consider whether a solution adheres to the five principles listed above, most notably whether the solution maintains HITL for all critical decision‑making.
Furthermore, like all Cook County agencies, the Sheriff’s Office adheres to the Cook County Policy and Implementation Guidance for Mapping Generative AI Risk and the Cook County Policy and Implementation Guidance for Generative AI Governance. The Sheriff’s Office works in tandem with its county partners when procuring significant AI-enabled tools as required by policy.
For more information regarding the Sheriff’s Office’s evaluation of AI‑enabled tools, please refer to its policy on Artificial Intelligence Use, Assessment, Review, and Approval, which is made available via PDF document on this page.
Question: Does AI make critical law enforcement decisions like when to execute an arrest or when to open an investigation?
Answer: No.
Question: How is personal information protected?
Answer: Before adopting an AI‑enabled product for administrative or operational use, the Sheriff’s Office determines how the product interacts with various forms of sensitive information, including data containing private information. In all cases, the Sheriff’s Office prohibits private entities from accessing or using its data for any purpose other than the specific service outlined in the contract. The Sheriff’s Office prohibits any commercial uses of its data such as selling data to third parties for advertising or other financial gain.
Furthermore, both State of Illinois and federal law require law enforcement agencies to safeguard sensitive law enforcement, criminal justice, and private information data from unauthorized disclosure. Accordingly, the Sheriff’s Office employs numerous software‑ and hardware‑based solutions to protect this information. These safeguards also apply to commercial entities contracted with the Sheriff’s Office to support its operations.
Question: How does the Sheriff’s Office make sure AI is accurate and fair?
Answer: Before adopting an AI-enabled solution, the Sheriff’s Office evaluates a product for any known biases and plans to mitigate any risk of bias. Personnel are trained to understand the limitations of any technology adopted by the Sheriff’s Office and are provided training on the specific technology assigned to their role, which may include internally created training or training materials offered by the manufacturer of the AI-enabled product. The Sheriff’s Office works to identify and correct issues, including the risk of unfair or biased results. If a tool is empirically proven to create inaccurate or unfair results, the Sheriff’s Office will cease to use such product.
Unauthorized use of any technology, including AI-enabled tools, by Sheriff’s Office personnel is strictly prohibited and may result in discipline, up to and including termination. In some cases, unauthorized use of or access to law‑enforcement‑specific technology, services, or databases may result in civil or criminal penalties as mandated under applicable law.
CONTRACTS AND OTHER PUBLIC RECORDS
Members of the public seeking information about the Sheriff’s Office use of AI are free to file a Freedom of Information Act request with our office by visiting the following page on our website: https://cookcountysheriffil.gov/freedom-information-act-request/
Members of the public seeking copies of executed contracts can visit the Cook County Open Data website on Procurement – Awarded Contracts & Amendments. The link to the website can be found here: https://datacatalog.cookcountyil.gov/.
COOK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE – AI POLICY
The Cook County Sheriff’s Office’s full policy on Artificial Intelligence Use, Assessment, Review and Approval (Policy 190) can be found by clicking the link below. The policy was reissued on September 1, 2026, and became effective upon issuance.