The Norwegian Police are on the brink of revolutionizing investigation, documentation, and reporting—powered by artificial intelligence. The AI4Interviews project has already demonstrated how transcription and report-writing can be drastically improved in both speed and quality, drawing attention from international law enforcement.
“This is about more than just technology. It’s policing in action,” says project leader Bente Skattør.
She leads the team developing and testing solutions that are giving the police significant efficiency gains—freeing up time for investigation, crime prevention, and community presence.
From Voice to Text—In Seconds
Each year, The Norwegian Police conduct over 150,000 interviews, with nearly 45,000 of them happening in the field. Previously, officers had to return to the station and manually type up their notes—an extremely time-consuming process. Now, with AI4Interviews, audio recordings are captured using mobile devices or other recorders and automatically converted into text.
The technology understands Norwegian speech—including dialects and legal terminology—and can produce usable transcriptions within minutes.
“We speak 8 to 12 times faster than we write,” explains Skattør. “By automating report writing, decision-makers gain access to critical information much sooner.”
More Time to Solve More Cases?
Forensic technicians in the police write between 30,000 and 40,000 reports annually. Most report spending over 55% of their work hours on documentation. With automated report generation, this process can be streamlined by more than 80%.
In addition to voice-to-text, the project includes another groundbreaking innovation: JodaPro, a voice-activated head-mounted camera capable of live-streaming. This allows crime scene technicians to broadcast directly to remote experts and receive real-time guidance.
“This is especially valuable in rural districts where access to specialists is limited,” says Skattør.
“Trust is the foundation of all police work. By automating time-intensive documentation, we free up capacity for what matters most: fighting crime and conducting investigations,” says Police Inspector Grete Metlid, head of the Joint Unit for Intelligence and Investigation (FEE) in the Oslo Police District and chair of the AI4Interviews project board.
A Technological Leap for the Justice System
The project is a collaboration across police units, academia, the public sector, and private companies. Special focus has been given to Norwegian language models, with close cooperation involving the National Library and language technology experts at NTNU. One key contributor has been Thomas Beka from the Police IT Unit (PIT), who also developed Skriber—the transcription solution currently used by the police.
The language technology is now well matured and has been adapted to operational police needs, delivering over 80% accuracy. The solutions are designed so officers can easily verify and adjust the transcriptions themselves.
“This is technology developed by and for the police. It’s tailored to our reality,” says Beka.
The system has already been tested during high-profile investigations, including the Baneheia and 2024 Terror cases. Work continues to improve the technology, and robots are now being used within the police to automate transcription of large volumes of audio files via Skriber and the national Media Bank.
“I want to extend a big thanks to the PIT teams behind robotization and the Media Bank,” adds Beka.
Safe and Future-Proof Technology
Security and accountability have been central to the development process. The solution runs within the secure police network, and all data is processed in line with GDPR. The AI components are regularly tested to ensure language accuracy and quality.
Norwegian police are the first in Europe to publish a peer-reviewed scientific article evaluating these types of solutions in compliance with the EU AI Act.
“We follow both national and international guidelines for responsible artificial intelligence. This is safe, secure, and grounded in expertise,” says Skattør.
Pilots in Oslo and Western Police Districts
In 2025, the Oslo and Western Police Districts launched a pilot using Norwegian voice-to-text technology across multiple domains: interviews, forensic work, field operations, and PPS (Police Process System). The main objective is to test the system in real-world scenarios and measure its impact, while continuously gathering feedback for improvement.
Results and Wider Impact
If rolled out nationally, the AI4Interviews solutions could deliver substantial benefits:
Time savings: Transcription time reduced by up to 80 %
Improved quality: Documentation becomes more complete and accessible
Inclusion: Supports employees with diverse needs, offering tools for subtitling, translation, and accessibility
Readiness: Frees up officers for frontline work
Sustainability: Reduces the need for travel, paper, and physical storage
The technology has already attracted interest from partners in Australia, Ukraine, and the UN. It's scalable—meaning more districts can adopt it—and the underlying platform can be reused across other public services.
From National to Global Innovation Recognition
The Oslo Police District and project leader Bente Skattør were recently named finalists for the 2025 Norwegian Digitalisation Award—the “national championship” of public innovation in Norway. The recognition doesn’t stop there: AI4Interviews is also a finalist in the GIMI Innovation Awards, in the “Most Innovative Public Sector Project” category. The prize is awarded by the Global Innovation Management Institute—effectively the “World Cup of Innovation.”
“Innovation is a team sport—and it breeds more innovation. This is just the beginning. When we spend less time on paperwork and more time with people, we build both trust and safety in our society,” concludes Skattør.
