April 23, 2026 - 196 views
A new initiative aimed at strengthening police responses to stalking incidents has been launched in North Wales, using cutting-edge technology to improve how officers engage with victims.
The pilot scheme harnesses Generative AI to assess how officers communicate with victims of stalking and domestic abuse. It provides personalised feedback on their interactions, helping to enhance empathy, rapport-building and overall response.
The project has been developed with input from a real victim-survivor from North Wales, ensuring the training reflects genuine experiences and challenges faced by those affected.
It is hoped the approach will lead to more positive outcomes and increased convictions, by fostering stronger, more trusting relationships between officers and victims.
VAWG Tactical Delivery Manager, Inspector Laura Salisbury-Jones, said stalking is a serious and often escalating crime.
“Stalking is a serious crime that can escalate quickly and cause a victim to live in fear of danger,” she said. “It is essential for our officers to be able to recognise the key signs of stalking, and to build positive relations with victims to empower them to fully report repeated unwanted behaviours.”
She explained that stalking is characterised by fixated, obsessive, unwanted and repeated behaviour, and stressed that threats of violence are not required for an offence to take place.
“You don’t have to be threatened with violence to be a victim of stalking. Any kind of persistent, unwanted contact that causes distress should not be accepted or dismissed as harmless,” she added.
As part of the pilot, trainee officers took part in simulated interviews with an AI-generated representation of a stalking victim. Early feedback has been positive, with participants demonstrating professional and supportive communication skills.
The training focuses on the use of trauma-informed language, building rapport, offering reassurance, and asking the right questions to identify risks and gather evidence. It also emphasises the importance of directing victims to appropriate support services.
Inspector Salisbury-Jones said the programme gives officers a valuable opportunity to reflect on their communication during highly sensitive situations.
“Officers often meet people in their most vulnerable and distressed moments,” she said. “This training allows them to reflect on how they communicate with individuals and how they can make victims feel safe, listened to and supported during a difficult experience.
“By empowering victims to report incidents fully and with confidence, officers will be able to identify stalking early on, which in turn will reduce the risk of escalation and minimise harm to victims.”
Police are urging anyone experiencing stalking or harassment not to suffer in silence and to seek support.
