Rookie mistake: Police recruit fired for using ChatGPT on academy essay finds second chance

A New Hampshire police recruit’s career took an unexpected turn after she used ChatGPT to help write a required essay at the police academy. Her case highlights the complex ethical questions surrounding AI use in law enforcement training and the consequences of academic dishonesty.

Academic integrity meets AI tools: After using ChatGPT for a police academy essay assignment, recruit Ashlyn Levine initially failed to disclose her AI use, creating an ethics case that spiraled beyond simple plagiarism.

• Levine was dismissed from the police academy and subsequently lost her job after the incident, which involved both using AI inappropriately and not being forthcoming about it.
• She later publicly acknowledged her dishonesty was wrong and accepted a six-month suspension from the academy.

Career recovery: Despite being terminated from her original position in Bow, New Hampshire, Levine found another opportunity with the Allenstown Police Department.

• Allenstown Police Chief Michael Stark expressed being “dumbfounded” by how state officials handled Levine’s case, suggesting the response was disproportionate.
• Stark, who also teaches at Nashua Community College, believes the handling of the situation lost sight of nuance regarding AI tool usage.

Law enforcement’s AI challenge: John Scippa, director of the Police Standards and Training Council that oversees the academy, acknowledged AI’s inevitable role in policing while emphasizing the need to protect integrity.

• “We recognize that artificial intelligence is coming to law enforcement,” Scippa noted, while stressing the importance of preserving the integrity of law enforcement activities.
• Scippa emphasized that writing clear, accurate reports with reasonable inferences remains a crucial skill for officers to master.

Moving forward: Levine received permission from state and local officials to return to the police academy in April to complete the final two weeks of training she missed after her dismissal.

• The Police Standards and Training Council is reportedly seeking proposals to develop model policies on AI tools as part of the state’s Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission.