Smart Doorbell Footage in Investigations

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request ref: 01/FIN/26/004405/V

Version Date: 23/03/2026

The Forensics Department has provided the following information:

I would be grateful if you could provide recorded information held by your force relating to the period 1 January 2020 to present, in response to the following:
1. Does your force use Ring doorbell or other smart doorbell footage as part of criminal investigations? (Yes / No)

Yes

2. If such footage is used, how frequently does it contribute to investigations? (Rarely / Occasionally / Frequently)

Occasionally

3. Is forensic image or video enhancement typically applied to Ring doorbell footage to improve its usability? (Yes / No / In some cases)

In some cases

4. Has your force considered, trialled, or used AI-based image or video enhancement tools for processing Ring doorbell or other domestic CCTV footage? (Yes / No / Under consideration)

No

5. What are the most common technical or evidential challenges encountered when working with Ring doorbell footage? (For example: image quality, compression, lighting, motion blur, glare, distance, occlusion, or metadata issues.)

No information held, Dorset Police do not have any recorded information to accurately answer this question.

6. From your experience, what image features are most important when assessing the usefulness of Ring doorbell footage? (For example: clothing, carried objects, facial features, movement, or contextual background detail.)

This question is not valid under Freedom of Information as it asks for an opinion, please see the ICO’s guidance here: What makes a valid request? | ICO

7. If enhancement is applied, what factors influence whether the footage is considered suitable for evidential use rather than intelligence-only purposes?

Factors which influence whether the footage is considered suitable will be case dependent, but largely depend on whether the enhancement process was able to adequately improve the footage in order for a confident decision to be made by an investigating officer.

8. Are there any concerns or limitations associated with the use of AI-based enhancement tools in forensic investigations that you consider particularly significant?

This question is not valid under Freedom of Information as it asks for an opinion.

9. In your view, what safeguards or validation steps would be necessary for AI-enhanced imagery to be considered appropriate for evidential use in court?

This question is not valid under Freedom of Information as it asks for an opinion.