Maine Police Photo Edit Blunder Prompts Policy Overhaul

A police department in Maine is overhauling its social media policy after it faced significant public criticism for posting a digitally altered photo of drug evidence.

The Altered Evidence Photo

The Westbrook Police Department shared what should have been a standard evidence photo from a drug bust. However, the image was not as it seemed. The department later explained it had used a photo-editing app to add its official patch to the picture. This action unintentionally triggered other changes within the image, distorting the evidence it was meant to display. Key details were warped: words like “Diablo” and “Suboxone” on packaging became illegible, the size of some evidence packages was changed, and other items were removed entirely.

Public Backlash and Department Response

The digitally altered photograph quickly drew widespread attention. The department's apology on Facebook received over 750 comments as news of the incident spread across New England. In the wake of this debacle, Police Chief Sean Lally announced decisive action. The department will no longer post evidence pictures and is updating its social media policy, which was originally written before the common use of advanced editing tools and artificial intelligence.

The Unspoken Role of AI

Although the department did not confirm the use of artificial intelligence, the presence of garbled text is a classic hallmark of AI-edited images. This incident has brought the broader issue of AI in law enforcement to the forefront. Chief Lally confirmed the department does not use AI report-writing software, unlike other Maine police departments that have trialed such programs. He mentioned that while no specific AI training is planned, the event has rapidly increased awareness among all officers.

Eroding Trust and Wider Implications

This photo-editing misstep touches on a sensitive issue: public trust in policing. Karyn Sporer, a University of Maine sociologist specializing in criminal justice, noted that incidents like this can deepen public skepticism. “Mainers have always been entering these situations with their eyes wide open and with a healthy skepticism of the police,” Sporer said. “When something like this happens, it’s very easy for people to talk about.”

Other local law enforcement agencies, like the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, clarified that they do not use AI for analyzing evidence or generating reports, though officers might use it for basic spelling and grammar checks. The incident in Westbrook highlights a growing need for clear guidelines and training as technology continues to evolve faster than policy.