Engineer Launches AI Police Report Startup After Car Chase

Earlier this year, Daniel Francis, founder of the AI-powered police reporting startup Abel, found himself in an unusual situation—riding shotgun in a police car speeding down an Oakland highway at 135 miles per hour. What began as an ordinary research ride-along quickly escalated into a high-speed car chase. As the pursuit unfolded, Francis’s mind turned to how AI could handle such complex situations, particularly writing up a detailed police report.

AI to Cut Down on Police Paperwork

Francis founded Abel, a company that uses AI to generate police reports by analyzing body cam footage and dispatch call data. His aim is to reduce the time officers spend on paperwork, which often takes up a significant portion of their shifts. On Thursday, Francis announced that Abel had raised $5 million in seed funding, led by Day One Ventures with participation from Long Journey Ventures and Y Combinator. The funding will be used to hire engineers and further improve Abel’s AI capabilities.

Francis’s journey into police tech began after a personal experience in 2022 when he helped a close friend escape an abusive marriage. Frustrated by the slow police response and learning that writing a police report could take up to 45 minutes, Francis became obsessed with finding ways to streamline the process. “That number changed my life,” he said. "That’s an insane use of time."

Abel’s Impact on Police Departments

Abel is already being used by the police department in Richmond, California, where officers are saving time by allowing Abel to draft initial reports based on body cam footage. Officers can then review and edit these drafts at the end of their shift instead of spending valuable time on the roadside writing reports.

Francis explained that reducing the burden of paperwork allows officers to focus on their core duties and helps prevent burnout. “It’s much better for everyone if the cops are not overworked,” he said. “If they can actually show up and do the job that they signed up to do.”

Abel’s Future and Competitors

While Abel is gaining traction, Francis is aware of the competition. Companies like Axon, the maker of tasers and body cams, have developed similar AI-powered products, including Draft One. Smaller startups like Policereports.ai are also vying for a place in this space. However, Francis remains confident that Abel’s user-friendly approach will make a meaningful difference in reducing the administrative burden on police officers.

As the company grows, Francis’s ultimate goal is to ease the paperwork load on law enforcement, allowing them to focus on what matters most—protecting and serving their communities.