Westbrook Police Department took a hit for posting a botched AI-edited photo of a drug bust.
The issue started when they shared a narcotics seizure photo on Facebook. It was immediately obvious the image had been run through ChatGPT or another AI tool. The edges looked gooey, text on packages became unreadable gibberish, and details like powder on a scale were mysteriously cleaned up. An odd Westbrook PD badge also appeared, but looked like a crude sticker slapped on.
Locals called out the sloppy AI tweak instantly. Instead of owning up, the department claimed the weird packaging was foreign and might have been made with AI. That didn’t fly. 
After major ridicule, Westbrook PD admitted the arresting officer used an AI app to add the badge, which unintentionally altered the whole image. The department dug in until Police Captain Steven Goldberg came clean:
“We are holding ourselves accountable by being upfront with it and inviting the media in to see the evidence that was seized, so they understand this was legitimate evidence and that we weren’t using AI to trump up any charges or make things up,” Captain Goldberg said.
The photo blunder sparked questions about how AI might mess with official evidence. For now, Westbrook PD is warning about the risks of AI “enhancements” gone wrong.
