Artificial intelligence (AI) opens up a new paradigm that is radically transforming the way we interact with technology and the world around us. This revolution is based on the ability of machines to learn, reason and make decisions, imitating human intelligence.

In the field of Security Forces and Corps (FCS), as is the case of the Guardia Civil, AI has the potential to be a powerful tool to improve public safety and protect citizens both from the current and already known dangers, as well as from the potential types of crime associated with new emerging technologies. However, it is very important that its use is done in an ethical and responsible way to avoid abuses or violations of fundamental rights, being crucial to establish clear limits and effective regulations for it.

1.- Ethical principles for the use of AI in Law Enforcement and Security Forces

To ensure the ethical use of AI in FHR, it is necessary to establish a series of ethical principles to guide its use and development, which may include the following:

• Transparency: The IA systems used by the FSC should be transparent and open to public observation. This would allow the public to have the right to know and understand how these systems work and how the resulting decision-making processes are developed.

• Fairness: AI systems used by the FSC should be equitable and non-discriminatory. This means that they should avoid biases that could negatively affect police decision making and even the interests of certain groups of people because of certain characteristics.
• Accountability: AI systems used by FCSs must be accountable, and therefore decision makers must be responsible for their actions, even if these are taken by an AI system.

2.- Examples of sustainable use of AI by FCSs

AI can be used by the Security Forces for a wide range of missions and actions, optimizing the use of personnel and resources, and improving response and reaction times in many of their actions.

2.1.- Crime prevention and investigation: AI algorithms can be used to analyze data and detect patterns that may indicate both the commission of a future crime and the possible investigation thereof, as well as to guide our daily services in a preventive and efficient manner:

1. Data analysis: FCSs use artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze large amounts of data and detect suspicious patterns or trends that may indicate criminal activity.
2. Facial recognition: facial recognition technology is used to identify suspicious persons in surveillance images or videos.
3. Analysis of large volumes of telephone data records: the development of AI algorithms for the analysis of data, conversations, relationships, etc. obtained during telephone tapping (with prior judicial authorization) for police investigations would mean the establishment of a much faster and more efficient system, which would minimize personnel, time and media costs.
4. Social network analysis: FSCs can use artificial intelligence tools to analyze publications or profiles on social networks and detect threats or criminal activities, thus anticipating the commission of multiple crimes (from terrorist acts or assassinations, to those committed against vulnerable groups such as bullying, cyberbullying, etc.).
5. Early warning systems: Closely related to the previous point, early warning systems use artificial intelligence algorithms to identify patterns that may indicate the planning or execution of criminal activities, such as terrorism.
6. Automatic fraud detection: artificial intelligence algorithms are used to detect suspicious patterns in financial transactions and fraud prevention.
7. Automation of repetitive tasks, such as reviewing large amounts of data: this would allow FCSs to focus on more important tasks, maximizing their time and resources.

2.2.- Efficient targeting of prevention services using "Predictive Policing" technology: this technology should be integrated with those known by the public as "Patrols", which could be planned and developed in a more effective and sustainable way, taking into account highly variable criteria that would not be possible without a sufficiently powerful tool such as AI. Criteria as diverse as areas of special relevance due to crime rates, events of interest (concerts, demonstrations, mass gatherings, markets, etc.), surveillance and monitoring of crime victims such as VIOGEN, consumption and availability of vehicles and means, weather in the area, etc., could be combined.

2.3.- "Virtual Civil Guard" project: the Civil Guard is currently developing a project based on AI technology with a double objective:

• On the one hand, to improve the experience of consultation on Corps matters of the men and women who are part of the Civil Guard, regardless of their place of posting and training in digital skills, thus favoring the improvement of their professional and personal living conditions.

• On the other hand, to contribute to the fulfillment of one of the priority lines of action of the Guardia Civil Strategic Plan 2021-2024, based on modernization, generation of public value and contribution to the demographic challenge, through the creation of a new complementary assistance channel for citizens, which enhances (not replaces) the existing ones, through the use of new technologies.

In all these cases, AI can help, or already helps, the Security Forces and Corps to perform their work in a more effective, efficient and sustainable way, but it must always be used in an ethical and responsible manner, as indicated in the previous section.

3.- Conclusions

Public safety plays a key role in maintaining a space of freedom and security in the digital age, and AI has the potential to be a powerful tool for enhancing and boosting it. This digital transformation, along with the emergence of artificial intelligence systems, has enabled law enforcement to adopt more efficient and sustainable approaches to prevent and prosecute criminal activities. However, it is important to ensure that these advances are developed with "fairness, transparency and accountability", thereby always resulting in a better service to the public. By establishing ethical principles for the use of AI in law enforcement, we can help ensure that this technology is used for the good of an increasingly demanding society.

4.- Some specific recommendations

In addition to the ethical principles mentioned above, a number of measures can be taken to ensure ethical use of AI in FHRs. These measures could include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Develop legal and regulatory frameworks to ensure the ethical use of AI. In this regard, the European Union has already proposed a directive to establish harmonized standards for artificial intelligence.
• Create independent bodies to oversee the use of AI by law enforcement agencies.
• Instruct agents on the ethical principles of AI and their application to their daily work.