Westbrook Police Admit AI Error in Drug Bust Photo

The Westbrook Police Department in Maine apologized after posting an AI-altered image of seized drugs on Facebook, originally intending only to add their badge. The AI tool used was ChatGPT, not Photoshop as initially claimed, and it inadvertently changed packaging text and distorted some items in the photo. After community members noticed these inconsistencies and raised concerns, the department initially denied AI involvement, attributing the odd packaging to foreign or knock-off products. Following further scrutiny, police admitted the error, deleted the original posts, and shared the unedited image for transparency. The department has invited media to verify the physical evidence and pledged not to use AI apps for future photo edits. The incident has prompted wider discussion on the use of AI in official police communications.