MOPAC grants MPS a 12-month extension to Palantir pilot
The Metropolitan Police Service has been granted a 12-month extension to its pilot programme with technology company Palantir while a new procurement process is carried out for a longer-term supplier.
The extension follows the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime’s (MOPAC) decision last month to halt a proposed £50 million contract after concluding there had been a “clear and serious breach” of procurement rules. MOPAC said the Met had failed to conduct a sufficiently competitive procurement exercise before selecting a preferred supplier.
The temporary extension will allow the force to continue using the existing pilot capability while an open competition is undertaken.
Assistant Commissioner Rachel Williams said the technology had already helped the force strengthen its professional standards work.
She added that the pilot had enabled the Met, for the first time, to bring together data it already lawfully holds to identify potential misconduct, welfare and cultural concerns across the organisation.
According to the force, a pilot focused on identifying conduct issues has already generated a number of cases now being progressed by the Directorate of Professional Standards.
Ms Williams said the MPS would continue working with MOPAC to procure a long-term solution while also exploring wider uses of the technology to streamline administrative processes and improve efficiency.
A spokesperson for MOPAC said the Deputy Mayor had instructed the Met to conduct “a new procurement process, open to a wide range of potential suppliers”, adding that extending the existing pilot would allow the force to retain current capability during the process.
The procurement dispute emerged after MOPAC blocked plans for a long-term contract with Palantir, despite the force arguing the technology would play a significant role in improving standards and supporting operational efficiency.
The issue has also highlighted the increasing role of artificial intelligence within policing. In a recent speech, Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said the pilot had moved the force from relying primarily on complaints from colleagues or members of the public to a more proactive approach capable of identifying emerging patterns of risk and misconduct.
The extension is expected to remain in place while the procurement process is completed over the coming year.