Cleburne, Texas — A Texas sheriff’s office used artificial intelligence to help write a police report after officers searched a nationwide license-plate surveillance network for a woman who had a self-managed abortion, according to records obtained by 404 Media.
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office previously drew scrutiny for using Flock Safety’s network of more than 80,000 automated license-plate readers to locate the woman. Newly obtained documents show Sgt. Damien Bethel also used Axon’s Draft One AI software to generate portions of the incident report from body-camera audio.
One AI-generated section summarized deputies discussing “the legal implications of the situation,” including their conclusion that Texas law did not allow criminal charges against the woman for taking abortion medication. Deputies also discussed a potential civil action against the company that supplied the medication.
The investigation originated with the woman’s reportedly abusive partner. Earlier records showed officers consulted prosecutors about whether she could be criminally charged, although no charges were available under existing Texas law.
Draft One transcribes body-camera recordings and generates a preliminary narrative that officers must review and approve. The sheriff’s office said deputies remain responsible for editing and digitally signing reports before they become official.
The underlying body-camera and in-car footage has not been released despite public-records requests from 404 Media and the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
The case has intensified concerns about how rapidly expanding AI surveillance and automated police-reporting systems could be used in highly sensitive investigations involving reproductive healthcare.
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