18 H.Q. Summer 2026 From a leadership standpoint, this creates an opportunity: AI, when properly tested and gov- erned, may ultimately provide more transparency around results than traditional processes. For any organization facing the challenges of adopting AI, one point is clear: leadership decisions determine whether AI improves investigations or undermines trust. For police leaders, this means policy, governance and oversight – not just procurement. Investigators must be trained to understand where AI assists and where human judgment must dom- inate. Supervisors must ensure AI outputs are validated, contextualized and appropriately weighted alongside other evidence. There is no scenario in which AI replaces the human role in investigations or the courtroom. In practice, effective oversight of AI in digital investigations rests on three leadership levers: 1. Define approved use cases AI should be authorized for specific, defined investigative tasks – such as evidence triage or data organization – rather than open-ended analysis. Clear boundaries reduce risk and increase defensibility. 2. Require human validation of source evidence Across multiple international studies, public confidence in AI-supported policing is highest when humans retain clear deci- sion-making control and review original evidence directly. This is already standard practice in digital investigations and should remain non negotiable. 3. Treat AI as an efficiency strategy, not an automation strategy AI adoption in policing is being driven primarily by staffing constraints, workload growth and data proliferation, not by a desire to reduce personnel. AI is not a panacea, and it is not risk-free. But neither is the status quo. Ignoring AI in digital investiga- tions does not protect public trust or investigative integrity. It exacerbates challenges already facing police services: data overload, investigative delay and strained resources. This presents leadership with the opportunity to adopt AI deliberately, as a means to: • improve efficiency without sacrificing accountability; • manage budget pressures responsibly; • support investigator well-being; and • maintain defensible, transpar- ent investigative processes. When governed properly, AI strengthens modern policing by allowing investigators to do what they do best: apply professional judgment, experience and context to the evi- dence in front of them. The question for police leaders is not whether AI belongs in investiga- tions, but whether it will be shaped intentionally or allowed to evolve by default. Brandon Epstein is a Technical Forensics Specialist at Magnet Forensics, a former police detective and co-founder of Medex Forensics, which Magnet acquired in 2024. Brandon specializes in AI and media authentication and is active in many digital forensic community organizations. Learn more about AI at Magnet Forensics and watch Brandon’s AI Unpacked webinar series on how responsible AI is shaping the future of digital forensics. www.magnetforensics.com/ magnet-ai DrDrone ..................................................6 www.drdrone.ca Strath Craft Ltd. .......Outside Back Cover www.strathcraft.com University of Guelph-Humber .....Outside Back Cover www.guelphhumber.ca/futurestudents PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DIRECTORY
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