AI Writes Police Reports: A Panel Discussion on Technology, Transparency, and Justice

If you were accused of a crime or even had a simple encounter with police, would you trust an artificial intelligence software to give an accurate account of what happened? Once that would have been a fantasy scenario, but in just the last year, police departments around the U.S. have begun using AI models to produce the reports officers write to document every encounter between citizens and law enforcement. An accurate report can speed the justice process, while an inaccurate or biased report could change the scope, severity and basis of a criminal case. On January 9, 2026, ESAL hosted a panel discussion exploring how these programs, such as Draft One and Truleo, work, whether they help police do their jobs or whether they might introduce new challenges into the justice system.

The panel, moderated by Tony Van Witsen, brought together three experts: Deputy Chief Burke Farrah of the Fresno Police Department in California, an early adopter of Draft One; Professor Ian Adams of the University of South Carolina, a criminologist researching the effectiveness of these tools; and Avneet Chattha, a public defender in Los Angeles County.

How the Technology Works

Deputy Chief Farrah was quick to address what he saw as a fundamental misconception. "We have not abdicated the role of writing a police report to a computer or to AI," he emphasized. "Our officers are engaged at every step of the process." He explained that Draft One accesses body-worn camera footage from police encounters, transcribes everything captured on audio, and then uses AI to analyze that dialogue and create an initial draft of a police report.

But that’s just the beginning. Officers must review the document, edit it, correct errors, amplify relevant details, and delete irrelevant information before submitting it to a supervisor for further review. "When I sign my name at the bottom of that report, I'm taking responsibility for that investigation," Farrah said. He stressed the multiple layers of accountability built into the system.

The Fresno Police Department has been using Draft One for nearly two years, starting with minor misdemeanor crimes and general incident reports. As of the third quarter of 2025, they had used it over 17,000 times. Officers reported saving an average of 23 minutes per report, and the reports rated about 4.3 on a 5-point quality scale. 

The Research Reality Check

As part of Professor Adams’ research program to study the use of AI in police departments, he designed a randomized controlled trial in Manchester, New Hampshire. Over six weeks, half of the patrol officers used Draft One and the other half wrote manual reports. His team measured how long it took officers to write reports from start to finish. The perhaps surprising results: there was no difference in the average time it took officers to write reports with or without AI assistance.

Yet when Adams surveyed the officers afterward, half of those who had used the technology insisted it was saving them tremendous amounts of time. "You should expect a fairly large perception-to-data gap when it comes to AI tools," he said. "We have this weird thing about us as human beings that if somebody hands us a magic pencil and says this is a magic pencil, some of us will just believe that what happens after that is magical."

While Adams calls himself "a technology optimist" who sees value in these tools, he emphasized that policing isn't fundamentally about efficiency. "We swear an oath to the Constitution, not the bottom line," he said, referring to his own experience as a police officer. The profession's highest goals are sanctity of life, preservation of law and order, community safety, and civil rights. If the technology isn't delivering on efficiency, the question becomes what value it actually provides.

Defense Attorney's Concerns

Avneet Chattha reviews police reports critically, looking for anything that might affect a client's case. He explained that roughly 95% of criminal charges are filed based solely on what the police report says, making these documents critical to the justice system. He has serious concerns about AI-generated reports. "The problem is fundamentally with AI—it's not necessarily with law enforcement. We don't know enough about AI and how it comes to its conclusions. AI is essentially a black box." 

The bigger concern for Chattha was transparency. Law enforcement agencies don't always want to disclose the tools they're using, and vendors consider their systems proprietary. When agencies use tools like Palantir's AI to identify suspects, defense attorneys often can't get information about how those determinations were made.

Debate Over Disclosure

A major point centered on what information should be disclosed when AI is used. California recently enacted a law requiring disclosure when AI assists in writing police reports. Professor Adams explained that there are actually three pieces of information involved: the transcript from the body camera, the initial draft created by AI, and the final report edited by the officer. Currently, only the transcript and final report are part of the evidentiary record. "I would like, when I see a report, to know how much of this was AI-created and how much of it was officer-created," Adams said.

The problem, he explained, is that vendors treat the custom instructions they create for AI as their intellectual property. "Maybe it is; I'm not an IP attorney. But when we're balancing the public interest and the public good, something needs to give way a little bit."

Chattha confirmed that defense attorneys don't currently have access to that initial AI-generated draft. Representatives of Axon, creator of Draft One, have said they don't want to share it because it's essentially scrapped once the final report is generated. "We would love to get access to it," Chattha said, noting that it's the vendor, not law enforcement agencies, blocking this transparency.

Deputy Chief Farrah raised an analogy, asking whether officers' handwritten notes have traditionally been discoverable. In his experience, they haven't been. But Chattha disagreed, noting that judges have ordered notes turned over, particularly when officers reference them in court testimony. The debate highlighted how AI-generated reports represent something genuinely new that doesn't fit neatly into existing legal frameworks.

Practical Problems and Concerns

Adams shared a concerning news story from Oklahoma City where an officer described how the AI caught his partner mentioning suspects were in a red car—something the officer himself didn't remember hearing. Adams found this troubling. "An officer's report is supposed to be their perceptions of what their investigations and the facts that they discovered," he noted. The incident raised questions about how officers should document technology-assisted memory versus their own actual recollections, especially when they might not testify about an incident until years later.

Looking Forward

Concerning the future, Professor Adams acknowledged the reports "read better" from a grammar and composition standpoint, but still wants to know whether they're actually better in terms of accuracy, completeness, and fitness. His research aims to determine whether report experts can detect improvements in what he called "the inherent policeness" of reports written with AI assistance.

The panel concluded that AI-generated police reports represent both promise and peril. The technology can capture details that might otherwise be forgotten, potentially improving report thoroughness, and perhaps freeing officers for other duties. But significant questions remain about efficiency, transparency, cost-effectiveness, and the fundamental nature of police testimony and accountability. The panelists agreed that rather than rejecting the technology or embracing it uncritically, the path forward requires careful policy development, rigorous research, and ongoing dialogue among law enforcement, the defense bar, vendors, and the public to ensure these tools serve justice rather than undermine it.

From Professor to Board President: Insights from Anjali Deshpande on How to Meet Iowa’s Public Health Needs

Anjali Deshpande, Ph.D., is the board president at the Iowa Public Health Association (IPHA), where she oversees IPHA’s initiatives and provides strategic oversight of public health efforts at the state and local levels. Deshpande completed her doctorate in epidemiology from Emory University and was a research assistant professor at Washington University in St. Louis before joining the University of Iowa as a clinical associate professor and director of the college’s Master of Public Health in 2016. Deshpande reflects on IPHA’s accomplishments as a whole, and more specifically, its work with regard to immunizations and health equity. 

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

ES: Could you tell us more about yourself and what led you to join the Iowa Public Health Association (IPHA)?

Deshpande: When I was in college, I was drawn toward understanding disease and its etiology. This interest led me to study microbiology and immunology during my undergraduate education. In fact, I thought I would be a bench scientist investigating the biology behind disease for the remainder of my career. However, at some point along my journey, I realized I wanted to pursue a career that involved more interaction with people. 

I later realized that I could combine my passion for microbiology with my newfound interest in public health, specifically epidemiology. As a master’s student, I had the opportunity to work at the local state health department on the disease detectives team. I really enjoyed our workflow of going out into the local communities or other counties in the state to investigate outbreaks. 

Following my master’s, I completed my Ph.D. in epidemiology and eventually joined academia. My academic career has primarily focused on cancer prevention and control. In 2016, I had the opportunity to become the director of the University of Iowa’s Master of Public Health program. Upon moving to Iowa, I joined the state public health association, which was primarily motivated by my wanting to learn more about the state of Iowa. IPHA could inform me about what is important to the state when it comes to public health and offered me the opportunity to meet people and engage with public health practitioners. 

ES: How has your work as a professor helped you navigate IPHA’s initiatives and community outreach?

Deshpande: First, as a professor, you have to stay up to date on the critical issues within the field. For example, how are methodologies related to the science behind public health changing? This engagement has been super helpful with regard to staying on top of current events as well. Second, building skills in grant writing and collaboration with individuals and organizations has been very useful. These skills are the more traditional components of academic work. 

As a member of IPHA, I also gain critical insights into the infrastructure of public health— oftentimes information that is not necessarily taught through textbooks.  For example, I have witnessed firsthand the recent changes in public health funding and technological advancements through AI. Bringing these real-world examples to the classroom has been immensely helpful in not only teaching my students but also informing communities about science. IPHA has been an excellent way for me to bridge the gap between science and academics, leading to impactful action. 

Anjali Deshpande
Anjali Deshpande

ES: Could you elaborate on IPHA’s community outreach efforts?

Deshpande: One of the key areas we do work in is immunizations. In Iowa, we have a coalition called Iowa Immunizes, which brings together stakeholders who are involved and interested in immunization. These stakeholders consist of health professionals, health departments, parents, community members, and even schools. Through Iowa Immunizes, IPHA does extensive education of the public, which includes attending meetings, organizing community events, and publishing information on our website. For example, Iowa recently hosted the National Senior Games here in Des Moines. We set up a table at this event to educate older individuals on the significance of immunizations. 

Another area we focus on is health equity, which is at the core of the work that public health does. We are striving to build communities where everyone has the opportunity to achieve their best health. For this work, we do not necessarily engage directly with the community. Instead, we show the value of it by partnering with different community groups. Our efforts to support local organizations amplify their work, especially when it comes to topics, such as social drivers of health or non-medical factors that relate to health. 

ES: How did IPHA come to spread awareness about epilepsy, which is oftentimes a topic overlooked?

Deshpande: Our epilepsy work actually originated from the personal experience of one of our staff members. It was an opportunity for us to amplify the work of one of our partnering organizations that had extensive experience with epilepsy awareness. This experience reflects a key aspect of IPHA’s culture— if members indicate a topic is of interest or importance to them, or they are observing their community needs, we frequently initiate work in that specific area. 

ES: What has been IPHA’s biggest accomplishment in its 100-year history?

Deshpande: We recently had a 100-year celebration walking through IPHA’s history, which revealed many accomplishments we are proud of. Most significantly, however, IPHA has worked incredibly hard to build a reputation as the trusted voice for public health in Iowa. Through governor turnover and other obstacles, IPHA has persevered and maintained focus on promoting the importance of public health in Iowa. This resilience has cemented IPHA’s reputation as a reliable source of information.

ES: In contrast, have there been any recent obstacles or challenges that IPHA has had to overcome?

Deshpande: The biggest challenge we have recently faced is regarding funding. Not only to IPHA directly, but funding to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other non-governmental organizations has been drastically reduced. This reduction in funding ultimately trickles down to the state level and makes promoting public health difficult. 

Additionally,  it is not yet clear what the federal “Make America Healthy Again” campaign will involve at the state level and this provides uncertainty to the field of public health as a whole. This ultimately makes it difficult for us to plan our future initiatives and allocate resources effectively. We are working hard to strategically design our efforts such that we can maintain our social and political capital and provide support to Iowa’s communities. 

ES: In light of the recent funding challenges, what do you see in store for IPHA in the immediate future?

Deshpande: We have a few different areas that we are focused on. Our number one priority is to ensure that, as the state public health association for Iowa, we continue dedicating our work to our members, particularly state and local public health practitioners, as well as partner agencies in the state. It is crucial that we remain strong and are in tune with their needs. For example, are there ways we can support local organizations differently? Can we take on alternate responsibilities to alleviate stress that local organizations are facing? These efforts can extend beyond the local areas to the state level as well. 

Our second priority is advocacy. It is not enough to simply do the work, but we have to be able to talk about it. We will need to disseminate information to decision-makers and demonstrate why it is crucial to invest in public health. Our advocacy will also extend to networking— bringing on new partners, building new relationships, and maintaining the ones we already have. Public health is a dynamic field, and if IPHA stays nimble, I firmly believe we can continue to enact positive change.

Bringing a passion for sustainability into the community

Bettina Christle is a senior chemist at Charm Industrial who has brought her passion for sustainability to her local community. She has helped lead initiatives such as the Garden Club, where students learn about plants and gain hands-on experience with garden maintenance, and the Green Challenge, which encourages students to adopt more sustainable habits in their day-to-day lives. In this interview, Christle shares her journey and what she has learned from getting involved in her community.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

ESAL: Tell me about your background and how it helped shape your interest in environmental work and sustainability?

Bettina Christle: Growing up, I spent a lot of time outdoors. My family went camping every year, hiked on the weekends, and us kids played in the fields and the forest near my hometown almost every day. My parents  taught us  not to be wasteful and made us aware of our responsibility to protect the animals and plants around us. Having grown up in that kind of environment, I feel connected to nature and want to do my part to preserve it. 

Professionally, I’m a chemist. I went to school in Germany and studied chemistry, did my PhD, and worked at several different companies. In the beginning I was looking for job opportunities that allowed me to use my skills and grow as a scientist. Since I’ve come to the U.S., I’ve been able to work for companies dedicated to contributing to a greener and more sustainable future. At Halio, Inc., I was involved in improving production and analytical processes used to manufacture eco-friendly electrochromic windows, a technology that allowed customers to manage heat and light penetration and offered energy savings and carbon-emission reductions in buildings. After that, I worked for Novoloop, a company that turns nonrecyclable plastic waste into performance materials and thus creates circularity. Now, I’m working for Charm Industrial, where we convert biomass into carbon-rich bio oil and pump it underground to permanently remove CO2 from the atmosphere. 

ESAL: What inspired you to start projects like the Garden Club and Green Challenge, and what have you learned from them?

Bettina Christle: I feel that our lifestyle, at least the lifestyle I experienced (in Germany and even more in the Bay area), leads to a lot of environmental issues. Life is fast, and everything has to be convenient. We buy things we don’t need; we replace instead of repair broken items; we want convenience, and don’t think about the consequences such as the waste created from disposable cups. I wanted to do something about it but felt that just changing things within our own family would not have much of an impact and in a conversation with a friend of my daughter, who was also the PTA president at the time, I learned that I could volunteer and offer green activities to students and, that way, reach the school community.

My first project was the Green Challenge.  I adapted a citywide sustainability program into weekly activities for students, such as using reusable water bottles and grocery bags. Teachers helped track participation, and the kids brought those habits home, sparking conversations with their families. It wasn’t always smooth, but it reached a large portion of the school and showed how small changes can impact wider awareness.

Bettina Christle
Bettina Christle

Taking friends of my kids on hikes in nearby regional parks and watching them climb trees and rocks and explore nature helped me notice that many kids had few opportunities to connect with nature and little exposure to working with soil or plants. A request from a teacher for help to build raised beds in the school’s courtyard gave me the idea to start a school garden. At first, I started with planned activities, but I quickly saw they learned best through following their own curiosity - digging in the dirt, asking questions, and exploring on their own. After initially accepting 30 kids with no or only one other parent volunteer, I quickly learned that it’s better to start with a small group of students and then expand once you have older kids who can help lead.

ESAL: Can you tell us more about the Green Challenge?

Bettina Christle: As mentioned, the idea was initiated through a conversation with the  PTA president and inspired by a Green Challenge that BrightAction had created for the city of Fremont (now called My Climate Ready Fremont), which involved a bunch of easy activities that the community could join in on, and adapted them for our school community.

Each week, students had simple goals, such as using reusable water bottles or bringing grocery bags, and then reported back to their teachers. It was tricky at first since teachers already had a lot on their plates, but about a third of the school participated, which I felt was a strong start. Many activities also encouraged kids to talk with their parents, so it sparked family conversations around new habits like line-drying clothes or starting small home gardens.

ESAL: What other issues in your community would you like to work on solving?

Bettina Christle: One idea has been improving sustainability in schools, such as reducing cafeteria waste. But a lot of that is already being addressed; our school has a compost system, uses compostable trays, and even hosts field trips to the recycling center. So I see my role more as supporting and building on those efforts where I can.

This year, I’d like to start planning monthly activities outside of school, such as neighborhood trash cleanups where students can start conversations with community members and even raise funds for the school’s green team. I’d also love to organize other projects, like collecting unused fruit from neighborhood trees and turning it into juice to sell, just things like that, which can raise awareness within the broader community.

ESAL: How have these projects shaped your connection with the community?

Bettina Christle: I feel like they have made me a lot more connected to the community and school. I’ve gotten to know many more kids, teachers, staff, and also learn about their values and what they care about, even those not directly involved with the projects. Overall, I think engaging with your community can be a really fulfilling experience.

ESAL: What advice would you give to someone who wants to address similar problems in their community?

Bettina Christle: Be visible with your work. I’ve learned that newsletters or emails often don’t reach people, but being present where the community already gathers makes a big difference. For example, setting up a small stand in front of the school during pickup or drop-off is a great way to show what you’re doing and invite people to get involved.

It’s also powerful to have kids take the lead. When children share their projects or ask for support, people listen more closely because they see the effort is genuine. I’ve even seen teachers train students to approach local stores for donations, which worked really well. Giving kids that responsibility not only makes the projects more effective but also teaches them valuable skills.

Finally, I think persistence is really important. When you follow up with people and keep reaching out, you can get more people involved, and projects can grow over time.

How Libraries Became the New Launchpads for AI Education 

Kiri Wagstaff is a pioneering artificial intelligence researcher and educator whose career bridges machine learning, planetary science, and public policy. Wagstaff holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in computer science from Cornell University and spent a year as an AI subject matter expert in the U.S. Senate. She currently serves as a Special Advisor on Artificial Intelligence for the Oregon State University Libraries and teaches a graduate course on applying AI to real-world challenges. Before joining OSU, Dr. Wagstaff spent two decades at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where she developed machine learning systems that helped spacecraft explore and interpret data from across the solar system. 

In her spare time, she brings AI literacy to the public, partnering with libraries, schools, and community groups to help people understand and confidently engage with artificial intelligence.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length. 

JL: What inspired you to bring AI literacy programming into public libraries and other community “third spaces”?

Wagstaff: I’ve always loved teaching. And over the past four or five years, I’ve noticed that it’s not just computer science students who want to learn about AI, there’s a growing urgency among everyone to understand what it means and how it affects their lives. Expanding access to approachable AI education was a natural path, given my experience as an AI researcher. 

In Congress, I had the opportunity to act as an AI subject matter expert within Senator Mark Kelly’s office. I helped identify emerging AI topics, and one of the areas he gravitated toward was AI literacy. We worked on a bipartisan bill called the Consumers LEARN AI Act to promote federal AI literacy initiatives. After so many important conversations on that topic, I didn’t want that momentum to fade when I returned to Oregon.

I connected with the librarians at Oregon State University who were in the process of creating an AI Literacy Center. They asked me to give an introductory public talk on basic AI literacy, after which I began receiving requests from public libraries and local groups to give similar talks on AI. Everyone, from retirement communities to Rotary Club meetings, is interested in learning about AI. The AI Literacy Center also arranged for me to speak with middle and high school teachers to help them engage their students in discussions about AI. It’s been really rewarding to see how much curiosity and enthusiasm there is across these different spaces. I encourage everyone to consider reaching out to their local community groups and offer their own expertise.

JL: How do you balance technical accuracy with accessibility for non-technical audiences?

Wagstaff: My goal isn’t to turn everyone into an AI expert. I want to help people feel confident making informed decisions about when and how to use AI in their own lives. So, I focus on the conceptual rather than the computational. It’s less about how AI works and more about what it can do – including its strengths and limitations. I also make a point to show that AI isn’t just generative tools like ChatGPT. Everyday technologies, like spam filters in email or Netflix show recommendations, are powered by AI too. That realization helps people see that AI, and related concerns about privacy and ethical use, has been part of their lives for years. 

I usually find that the most meaningful moments come from Q&A and the conversations that follow. It often feels more like a fireside chat than a lecture. Many are worried about AI competing with their professional fields, which is understandable given the sensational headlines and AI’s rapid integration into our daily lives. Others are intrigued by how “supportive” it can seem as a companion. I remind them that the emotional connection in those interactions comes from them, not the AI. My goal is to empower people to use AI safely and effectively. That focus makes it easier to connect with and educate a general audience.

JL: You recently served as an AI subject matter expert in the U.S. Senate. What did you learn about how policymakers are approaching AI governance?

Wagstaff: When I was there in 2023-2024, it was a particularly interesting year because Congress felt enormous pressure to “do something” about AI. There were a lot of competing messages that made concrete legislation difficult. AI entrepreneurs like Sam Altman, who initially called for regulation, later warned it could stifle innovation. Some voices were sounding alarms about the risks of AI, while others argued that the U.S. needed to lead globally in its development. Any meaningful policy had to balance both perspectives.

Kiri Wagstaff
Kiri Wagstaff

Typically, Senate and House committees bring in three experts for a hearing on a given topic. But in recognition of the broad scope of AI impacts and the need for more expertise, the Senate decided to conduct nine “AI Insight Forums,” each focused on a specific area like elections, defense, or privacy. They brought in about twenty experts for each, who were quizzed by Senators in a lightning-round format. Those discussions led to a report outlining areas of bipartisan agreement that could form the foundation for legislation. Even so, only three AI-related bills passed that year. 2025 saw the passage of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which allows individuals to request that platforms remove nonconsensual intimate visual materials, whether created by AI or not. This is a great example of how overlapping priorities can lead to action.

I came in as an AI expert, not a policy expert, so I had a lot to learn. Senator Kelly’s legislative aides were incredibly helpful in coaching me through the process of drafting legislation and meeting with other offices to build bipartisan consensus and support for a bill. I also learned a lot from a book on how to write legislation. The nonpartisan Library of Congress’s Congressional Research Service (CRS) was another great resource to locate data and lend context to help me, and Congress, do its job.

The bill I helped work on focused on consumer AI literacy. The goal was to help people make informed decisions about when and where to use AI in their daily lives. The idea was to create a coordinated federal strategy across agencies, with a public education campaign to share short, accessible “AI gems” that demystify the technology. We also wanted to make the goals actionable. For example, if an AI scribe is used in a nurse’s office, should patients consent to its use during their screenings? What do data and experience tell us about how AI affects patient privacy and rights? The bill aimed to provide that kind of practical guidance, developed collaboratively across agencies that each bring their own expertise. The bill was introduced in 2024 but didn’t receive a floor vote. It has been reintroduced in 2025 by a larger group of Senators, and I am excited about its prospects.

JL: Much of your earlier research at NASA JPL focused on real-world machine learning. What were some of the most exciting or unexpected applications?

Wagstaff: I was part of a group focused on developing machine learning techniques for space exploration. That often meant building intelligence into spacecraft that are so far away we can’t easily intervene—but AI can. We had to ask: How much can we trust AI on a spacecraft? What kinds of decisions should it be allowed to make? The key was finding tasks that could be safely automated without interfering with other critical operations and within a constrained computational environment. If an AI routine is running, that could mean that the rover can’t be driving. So, the focus is on maximizing the scientific return within those limits.

For example, a rover might only be able to send back ten images per day. AI can help decide which ten are the most valuable to transmit. One of my favorite applications was on the Mars Curiosity Rover, which has a laser spectrometer called ChemCam that analyzes the composition of rocks from a distance. JPL developed an AI system to decide which rocks were the most promising targets for that laser.

JL: How do you personally decide when AI shouldn’t be used?

Wagstaff: AI companies have done the public a bit of a disservice by presenting generative AI “chatbots” as if they work like a Google search. The responses feel like answers, but they’re really just sequences of words that sound plausible.  Users are often puzzled when the same question receives a different answer the second time, or when a chatbot reverses its claims in response to a request for clarification. That baffled, frustrated feeling is a sign that we don’t have the right expectations in mind.

If I’m looking up a factual question, I would never use a generative AI chatbot. But, if I wanted to make a poem sound more like Robert Frost, it’s great for creativity and experimentation. The problem is that these models can’t fact-check themselves. And as search engines and generative AI continue to merge, it’s becoming harder to tell whether we’re seeing a real search result or a convincing fabrication.

We all have this fantasy of an all-knowing oracle, but that’s not what generative AI is or ever will be. It’s more like an improv artist. It can riff beautifully (and entertainingly), but it’s not an expert.

JL: What advice would you give to scientists interested in contributing to policy discussions around AI ethics and regulation?

Wagstaff: One of the most straightforward ways is by answering federally directed public information requests (RFIs). These call for feedback on specific topics—AI included—and anyone can respond. This year alone, there were two major requests on AI policy, and each one received over 10,000 public comments. You don’t have to be an expert; you just have to know they exist and take the time to share your perspective. It’s a powerful way for individuals to have a voice in how AI develops.  RFIs are published in the Federal Register.

Public libraries also love this kind of programming, as well as most community spaces. You just have to reach out. Don’t assume people already have the expertise; many are eager to learn but don’t know where to start.

My advice is to start sharing your perspective wherever you can. Write an op-ed, give a local talk, or offer to speak with your nearby news outlet. Once people see your insights out there, they’ll start reaching out to you and it creates a kind of snowball effect. More opportunities to contribute will come naturally once you make your voice part of the conversation.

Learn more about Kiri on her website.

Attending The 22nd Century Conference: Forging a People-Powered Democracy

Tell us about yourself:

I’m Mariana Rocha, a PhD candidate in Neuroscience at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. My research investigates the biological pathways linking traumatic stress to pregnancy-related cardiometabolic complications, such as preeclampsia, with a focus on Black pregnant individuals. My work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, public health, and bioethics. I am also a member and social media volunteer with ESAL. 

What is important to you about engaging with your local government? 

Engaging with local government is important to me because I believe our communities are ultimately what keep us safe. As a scientist and advocate, I see local civic engagement as an opportunity to use my training to help build more equitable systems, while also showing up for those around me. 

What did you do:

I attended The 22nd Century Conference: Forging a People-Powered Democracy in Atlanta, Georgia. 

How did you identify and take advantage of the opportunity?

Mariana Rocha

I learned about the conference through ESAL’s Executive Director. I was excited to attend because it brought together organizations and individuals from diverse interest areas to collaborate and share strategies for advancing pro-democracy and resisting authoritarianism. As scientists, we have often excluded ourselves from political conversations. The ongoing attacks on research, however, have made it clear that science is anything but apolitical. I saw this conference as a perfect opportunity to listen, learn and build connections with groups who have been organizing for decades. 

What happened?

This three-day conference attracted more than 1,200 individuals. It opened with a powerful plenary where elders from the Civil Rights Movement imparted wisdom to both young and seasoned organizers. The speakers emphasized the importance of having intergenerational conversations about current and past issues in order to meet the challenges we face today. 

What made this conference especially unique were the strategy and skill-building workshops, built around resisting authoritarian actions. Although most of the organizing groups were not STEM-based organizations, I could easily envision the important role scientists and engineers could play in this work. 

For instance, I attended a strategy session focused on pregnancy criminalization:  the arrest, prosecution or punishment of individuals for actions or outcomes related to their pregnancy. Central to this issue is the concept of “fetal personhood,” which grants legal rights to fetuses, fertilized eggs, and embryos. This framework can lead to extreme consequences, such as charging a pregnant person struggling with substance use with child abuse or neglect.

 As a neuroscientist, I know that addiction fundamentally alters brain circuitry, making abrupt stop to substance use an unrealistic and unsafe expectation, whether a person is pregnant or not. Scientists have the ability and responsibility to help policymakers understand that criminalizing substance use during pregnancy deters individuals from seeking evidence-based care and ultimately endangers the health of both the pregnant person and the fetus. 

This session was just one example of how the conference created opportunities to build skills and relationships for local civic engagement. Other sessions I attended included workshops on combating voter suppression, supporting rural participation in mutual aid networks, and using art as a tool for organizing around justice. Each session offered skills and action items for building a people-powered democracy and highlighted the importance of cross-sector collaboration, including the valuable contributions scientists and engineers can make in their communities. 

What did you get out of this experience:

I left this conference feeling inspired and energized. Entering this space as a beginner allowed me to act as a sponge and absorb insights from organizers across a wide range of movements, including labor, climate justice, and LGBTQIA+ rights. In every workshop, I felt welcomed and encouraged and I could clearly see opportunities for scientists and engineers to contribute their talents. 

This experience affirmed for me that our work as scientists and engineers has real-world implications, and that as experts we have a responsibility to ensure our research is not misused to justify harmful policies and practices. It also expanded my understanding of what civic engagement can look like, from formal government settings to mutual aid. 

Attending The 22nd Century Conference: Forging a People-Powered Democracy reignited my commitment to advocating for more just reproductive and pregnancy-related health policies through my research, and gave me ideas for helping other scientists and engineers identify local civic efforts where their skills can make a positive impact.

Enhancing Emergency Preparedness and Response to Provide Equitable Care in Times of Disaster

Abigail Freshley is a senior policy manager at Public Health Advocates (PHA), where she is involved in various projects primarily focused on emergency response policy. Freshley obtained her master’s in public administration and policy development from Georgia State University before taking her skills to the political realm. Freshley reflects on her experience navigating the aftermath of COVID-19 through the Emergency Resilience Project and how PHA has used those lessons to enact new policies that promote equitable care for all. 

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

ES: Could you tell us more about yourself and what led you to join Public Health Advocates (PHA)?

Freshley: I began my career in progressive politics in Atlanta before relocating to Southern California. This move came at a time when conversations around efficiently spending the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were blossoming, which aligned well with my previous work experience. I joined PHA to help push California cities and towns to spend ARPA dollars in ways that would impact populations most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Working on the ARPA was my first experience combining public health and emergency preparedness and response. I particularly enjoyed learning from setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic and applying those lessons to various types of natural and human-made disasters.

ES: What has your role been in the emergency resilience project?

Freshley: At the start of this project, I had the opportunity to interview key informants— local elected officials, public health officers, and leaders of community-based organizations— across the state who were involved in the response to COVID-19. These conversations delved deeper into the disparities that emerged during the pandemic and explored ways to mitigate future pitfalls. For instance, in Sacramento, California, from 2019 to 2021, there was a 65% increase in homelessness, and Black people were three times as likely to be unhoused. While COVID-19 certainly exacerbated these issues, we were curious how we could adjust our response to lessen the damage. We curated prevalent themes from these conversations and developed them into policy recommendations aimed at preventing such disparities in the future. The recent fires in Los Angeles adapted the COVID-19 efforts into the emergency resilience project, which also includes other disasters.

ES: What have been your biggest challenges while working on the emergency resilience project?

Abigail Freshley
Abigail Freshley.

Freshley: A primary obstacle we face is a misunderstanding between diversity, equity, and inclusion and racial justice. For instance, what does it mean to take equity-focused, justice-based approaches over having a more diverse group of people making the decisions? Historically disadvantaged groups who live in red line neighborhoods, do not have generational wealth, or work hourly jobs resulting in a lack of childcare causes an issue during an emergency. Communicating why BIPOC-led organizations are not typically as well positioned as predominantly white-led and white-serving organizations raises the importance of investing in their organizations.  

ES: Could you elaborate on PHA’s policy recommendations for reducing disparities?

Freshley: One of the most important actions is the investment in culturally responsive community organizations. During COVID-19, we saw the government send the National Guard or police to distribute resources in communities that have a valid historical distrust of police and government, on top of cultural barriers. We strategized that resourcing BIPOC-led and underserved community-based organizations would facilitate their making a difference. Obtaining federal funding often requires overcoming hurdles, such as the ability to cover the entire grant budget upfront. These obstacles are unrealistic for organizations that lack large amounts of capital. We secured $7.2 million from the County of Sacramento to enhance the capacity of BIPOC and underserved community-led organizations. 

ES: Are you involved in any other projects at PHA?

Freshley: I work on two additional projects: First Response Transformation Campaign (FRTC) and Defend California. FRTC aims to develop and improve alternative first response initiatives across California. For example, not all 911 calls require police presence. As such, we want to provide adequate resources, whether they be mental health services or individuals equipped with service resources for the unhoused community. We have been working with a few different pilot groups across California to help either establish or improve their first response alternatives. 

Defend California is a relatively new initiative focused on protecting the core functions of public health in California. This project comes in the wake of the substantial cuts from the Trump administration and an anticipated restriction of resources for public health funding. Additionally, in the era of Make America Healthy Again, we are working to protect access to vaccines, preventative healthcare, clean water, infectious disease control, and safe and healthy food.

ES: What do you see in store for PHA in the future?

Freshley: At the top of our mind is protecting the functions of core public health in California and getting ahead of the wave that is coming by building power with impacted communities across the state. This has emerged as a foundational component of our campaign strategy. For instance, the current budget cuts to preventative care and social services will eventually trickle down from the federal level and into our local budgets. Being mindful of and preparing for this eventual impact will be crucial for protecting the functions of core public health.

ES: Finally, do you have any advice for how people can engage with their local communities to address similar challenges?

Freshley: The first and most important action is to simply go to a meeting. Many people have never attended a city council meeting before, but you can observe and listen without having to contribute. This can be a very informative experience to see what issues your community is addressing and learn who the policy-makers are. 

My second piece of advice is to find like-minded people who can be on your team. It is substantially easier to approach community engagement when you are not alone. Having a friend or team you can rely on will make the barrier of entry much more manageable. Additionally, decision-makers are more open and receptive to these organic movements where community members present their individual needs as opposed to hearing from individuals paid to present issues. 

Datacenter impacts on Municipal Energy, Water, and Air Systems

On Wednesday June 11, the National League of Cities (NLC) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues (AAAS EPI Center) co-hosted a webinar entitled “Datacenter Impacts on Municipal Energy, Water, and Air Systems” as part of their ongoing series on the social, political, and environmental impact of data centers. ESAL founder Arti Garg moderated a discussion with Shaolei Ren, associate professor at the University of California, Riverside which explored the impacts data centers have on energy and water usage, pollution, and human health in the current landscape of increasing demand for compute power from AI. 

Datacenters are essential computational infrastructure 

In her introduction, Garg explained that data centers are facilities for housing the equipment necessary to generate large amounts of computing power (compute). In practical terms, these are buildings that house racks of servers and networking equipment used to power the essential functions of computer programs, as well as the power and cooling infrastructure. Traditionally, compute demand was largely created by online services such as email and e-commerce. With the surging demand for AI products, data centers are tasked with handling much larger volumes of compute, resulting in ever-increasing demand for data center infrastructure. During the event, Ren gave a presentation titled “The Hidden Environmental and Public Health Impacts of AI”, which reviewed areas that states and municipalities should consider when deciding to allow the construction or continued operation of data centers. 

Data center energy demand could inflate energy costs

Ren cited an estimate from the 2024 United States Data Center Energy Usage Report produced by Berkeley Lab that predicts data centers could comprise 6.7% to 12% of the national electricity demand by 2028. With that increase in demand comes a high demand to build new energy infrastructure, along with a steep price tag for construction and an increase in carbon emissions. Datacenters draw energy from the local grid and, when needed, use diesel backup generators. When additional capacity is needed, this can increase demand for fossil fuel energy sources and may also inflate the power bills of individual consumers. 

Water consumption is a major impact of data center operations

In addition to their impact on power consumption, data centers consume water at high rates. The equipment used to produce computing power generates heat which needs to be dissipated to ensure continued functioning. Water evaporation is a common cooling method, that consumes water that does not return to the municipal sewer (consumptive use through evaporation) and creates waste water that is high in mineral and salt content that cannot be reused for other purposes as easily. By contrast, residential water use may draw comparable gallons of water but has a higher proportion of nonconsumptive use. Technology companies such as Apple, Meta, and Microsoft produce water strategy and sustainability reports that address the sustainability implications of their current water use. However, AI demand may increase water consumption by 2-4 times over 2023 levels by 2028, according to projections generated by the Berkeley Lab. 

Air pollution and public health are also affected 

Data centers contribute to air pollution through use of diesel backup generators and electricity consumption. Diesel consumption, in particular, emits nitrogen oxides, which can form PM2.5s (particulate matter with diameter of 2.5 microns or less) that are associated with risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and lung cancer. Air pollution does not stay confined to state lines, making the issue difficult to regulate on a local level. Ren published a paper using a modeling tool from the EPA to calculate the health cost of increased energy consumption by AI, predicting a potential public health cost increase of billions of dollars with high data center energy use.  

Making a local impact 

From the perspective of technology companies, there are important benefits of building data centers close to dense population centers, including reduced networking latency and data transfer costs. Due to the factors discussed above, there are also risks associated with locating data centers near communities, which will need to be balanced. Ren highlighted a story from Uruguay, where community pushback over the water use of a local datacenter caused the company to implement a more efficient, albeit more expensive, cooling system. In many cases in the United States, a major challenge to local engagement around data centers comes from a lack of transparency about how much energy and water these facilities are consuming. The National League of Cities (NLC) highlighted the important role of public utility commissions in the process of data centers site selection, as they can help provide information on how data centers may affect energy use and costs in their areas of service. (You can check out ESAL’s playbook on joining an advisory board or commission here.) NLC also has an AI governance dashboard to help cities and municipalities learn from each other’s policies and track how the policies come into effect. When asked how communities can ensure they are balancing the risks and rewards of having data centers in their areas, Ren urged people to ask about water use and pollution outcomes, stating that dialogue will be important to learn more about the potential impacts. 

Leveraging the scientific method for effective policy-making

Dr. Darshana Patel is a member of the California State Assembly and previously served as an elected member of the Poway Unified Board of Education. Prior to her career in public service, Dr. Patel earned a Ph.D. in Biophysics at the University of California, Irvine and worked as a professional biotechnology researcher. ESAL interviewed Dr. Patel about her experience transitioning from a career in scientific research to local government.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

SvD: What led you to a career in public service?

Patel: My experiences have taught me that you can try to create a path for yourself, but sometimes life takes you in different directions.

At 14 years old, I lost my mom to an undiagnosed medical condition, compelling me to look for cures to diseases. By this young age I knew I wanted to work in drug discovery to help people and contribute to society. Along the way, I also took any chance I got to join school organizations to make systemic change. In graduate school, for example, I joined the graduate student council. This is where I learned about the challenges in labor and the workforce, and what it means to have solidarity in a movement. Then, in my first biotech job at Genentech, I served as president of the South Asian Network. In that role, I witnessed the barriers to career progression that many people in that system face. I advocated for many initiatives to help break down these barriers, such as establishing more nursing rooms to allow women to return to the workforce. So, while my core interest was bringing drugs to market, I was also learning how systems worked and how to improve them. When my father passed away in 2009 while waiting for a prior authorization from Medicare, I decided that there is a bigger system that I can try to fix.

SvD: How are you leveraging your previous experience as a research scientist in your elected position?

Assemblymember Darshana Patel at a press conference March 2025.

Patel:  I am brand new to the State Assembly, but learning a lot as I go along.  There is a huge gap in communication between scientists and policymakers. We have completely different cultures, ways of thinking, and even different time ranges: a scientist thinks in generations, a policymaker thinks in sessions. I've noticed that, in the spaces I'm in, people treat elected officials at this level with a lot of deference. People say “oh, she's a biophysicist, she's the smartest one in the room”. This gives me an opportunity to lead the discussion, ask the questions, and show the data that supports that opinion, which helps bring rigor to the process. I think we need that – our constituents are asking us to be more rigorous with our decisions.

I have a goal to seek common ground with all of my colleagues. Everyone wants a good quality education, good health care, safe water to drink, and clean air to breathe. Each of these are areas where a scientific process, scientific understanding, and respect for science will help. How do we deliver public education to the most people at the least cost? We need experts to come in and weigh in on what that looks like. We need to develop this universal scientific mindset to approaching problems. Everyone doesn't need to be a scientist, but I think the mindset will help us deliver on the promises that we've made to our people.

So, we need to bring more rational thought into our policymaking, but how do we do that? How do we talk in scientific terms without sounding elitist? We must approach policy making like a study: you predict an end point, a hypothesis, but when things do not go the way you expect them to, you reevaluate and change the variables to see the outcome that you want to see. Ultimately, we should never be attached to a specific policy, we should be driven by the desired outcome, and if we're not getting the desired outcome, then we need to change what we are doing. And I would love to see a policy mindset where we are doing that: not just creating new laws, but revisiting old laws. Are they outdated? Do they still apply in today's context? Does it make sense? Does it conflict with other existing laws or values that we have now in today's world? We need to constantly revisit, and that is okay if we bring a scientific process to it.

SvD: What specific issues do you hope to tackle in your position in the State Assembly?

Patel: We are currently working toward a bill to close a loophole around school gun violence threats, an issue whose importance has been expressed by our community. We had an elementary school where a man sent several emails threatening to open fire there. The police got word of it, did their investigations, filed for a temporary gun violence restraining order, and seized his weapons. They did all the right things. The DA then came in, built a case, and were ready to prosecute, however, it turns out that this did not meet the standard for prosecuting under the existing law. The man had made credible threats against a specific school, but did not name an individual at the school, which did not meet the threshold of specificity to prosecute under the existing legal code. So, we are proposing that if they name that place, that is specific enough.

This is just one example of the ways we are directing our efforts based on the needs of our constituents. Several other items include reforming the way special education is funded in the state of California, youth mental health, access to healthcare and housing, the cost of utilities, and more. These concerns are brought to us through calls, emails, submissions on our website, meetings at our public office, and events we attend or host ourselves. I would also love to work with community leaders – I am looking to form community advisory committees in the certain areas of my policy interest.

SvD: What advice do you have for people in STEM who want to engage with their local government?

Patel: There are a lot of opportunities to engage, but they are not obvious to people in this [STEM] world.

You need to look for them, reach out to people like me, and keep in mind that these opportunities are there. We also need to work to change the culture of academia, which often views working in the policy space as being a sellout. We need to walk away from this sellout kind of mindset and start encouraging people to take this training and go out into other spaces. When we learn these skills, we can make legislators better understand and appreciate the value of scientific research and develop better societies in the long term.

Beyond the Beltway: Navigating the State and Local Government Job Hunt

On June 10th, ESAL hosted a virtual event titled “Beyond the Beltway: Navigating the state/local government job hunt.” The event featured four expert career advisors who shared guidance on finding jobs within the world of public service. Panelists included:

Federal workers are everywhere

Katy Hogan started off the event by emphasizing that meaningful federal careers exist far beyond Washington, D.C.—nearly 80% of federal employees work outside the capital. She noted that states like California, Georgia, and Michigan alone have tens of thousands of federal workers, dispelling the myth that public service jobs require relocation to D.C.

On looking beyond the federal government

Dylan Russell also emphasized the importance of looking beyond the D.C. area for public service opportunities and highlighted that job seekers can make a real, meaningful impact within rural and local governments while also bringing new energy and enthusiasm to these public institutions. 

Allison Binkley agreed, and encouraged attendees to focus on how their skills translate into state and local roles, even if job titles seem unfamiliar.  Binkley reminded attendees that persistence is key when navigating the government hiring process, which can be slow-moving.

Maggie Orion highlighted the range of public service opportunities in California’s state government. She emphasized the core reasons many pursue state jobs, which include strong benefits, job security, and the ability to do mission-driven work. 

Resources and tips for job hunters

Hogan also discussed resources developed by the Partnership, such as the free “Career Pivot Boot Camp,” an online and asynchronous course that offers career coaching for former or transitioning federal employees. 

Orion encouraged attendees to explore openings across California’s 150+ agencies and recommended using CalCareers to search for roles and WorkforCalifornia for application guidance. To navigate the state’s unique job classifications and jargon, she suggested exploring job clusters by industry and using filters by classification to identify relevant opportunities.

The second half of the event featured a Question & Answer session, which went over additional actionable tips for job seekers. Networking was emphasized as a helpful tool, not only for discovering job opportunities but for gaining deeper insights into workplaces. However, one notable point was that, unlike the private sector, the public sector involves more of a merit-based selection process, meaning that one’s network, while still valuable, is not as important as their qualifications. The panel also covered salary bands, mentioning that public sector salaries are publicly available and encouraging job seekers to do their research going into negotiations. Another key tip was related to the importance of keywords in job postings and how job seekers can set email alerts to actively notify themselves of new postings that match their interests more closely. 

Overall, the event highlighted several important insights for scientists and engineers interested in state and local government careers. One recurring theme across all the speakers was the value of public service as a meaningful, purpose-driven path.

Check out the ESAL Playbook "build your career in state or local government" for more resources and tips.

View the event recording on ESAL's YouTube channel:

The Impact of Federal Spending on the States

The Council of State Governments, a nonpartisan organization that serves state elected and appointed officials to promote excellence in state government, hosted a webinar on April 29th, 2025, entitled “The Impact of Federal Spending on the States” to broaden understanding of how federal spending is impacting state economies. The United States is currently facing economic uncertainty at both the federal and state levels, and prioritizing expenditures has been a challenge for fiscal policymakers. 

Experts in fiscal policy broke down fiscal uncertainty in the United States, the impact of federal funding on state budgets, new state-federal fiscal dynamics, and potential strategies to approach changes in federal funding to states. Panelists included: 

How federal spending impacts states’ economies

Justin Theal, an expert on fiscal risks, spoke on the impact of federal spending on the states’ economy and where states currently stand with federal funding: 

Budget reserves can help in the short-term

Heading into the fiscal year, state budgets face heightened spending pressure to fund the rising costs of Medicaid, employee wages, and other expenses, while tax collection is weakening. Most states currently hold record-high reserves to combat this budget gap; however, it is unlikely that these changes will be sustainable long term. 

Federal funding to states takes multiple forms

The vast majority of federal funds are used to support state economies. Direct payments to individuals and businesses support retirement, benefits, and wages for federal employees. Federal grants to state and local governments support Medicaid, income security, transportation, education, other health programs, and more. 

These federal funds, in turn, generate revenue for the state. In 2022, an average of 36.4% of state revenue came from federal funding sources. The impact of changes in federal dollars and policy on state economies will vary across states, but this is a discussion happening across legislative sessions and fiscal debates throughout the year. 

Federal uncertainty

Marcia Howard, an expert on federal-to-state funding flows, then detailed three specific federal programs that are facing uncertainty: 

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)

The IIJA is an investment in American infrastructure to repair and modernize existing infrastructure while investing in new transportation, clean energy, and water infrastructure. It was signed into law in November 2021 by President Joe Biden and authorized $1.2 trillion for transportation and infrastructure spending, including $550 billion on top of what Congress planned to authorize.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022

The IRA proposes a large down payment on federal deficit reduction with the goals of combating inflation and promoting American energy independence by investing in domestic clean energy production. It additionally would allow Medicare to negotiate for the lowering of prescription drug prices and extend the Affordable Care Act to 2025. The bill was signed into law by President Joe Biden in August 2022 and authorized over $400 billion in new spending with projected revenue of over $700 billion. 

The Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPs) Act

The CHIPs Act allocated funding to support research and manufacturing of semiconductors in the United States. It aimed to promote domestic competitiveness in semiconductor production to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. President Joe Biden signed the act into law in August 2022, authorizing nearly $300 billion in new spending toward research and development, STEM education, and incentive programs.

Each of these acts has been signed into law; however, grants supporting them are paused or tied up in litigation. It is expected that Congress will draft reconciliation proposals, an expedited way to pass budget-related policies, to reduce federal spending on programs like these to offset funds lost to tax cuts. The FY2026 federal budget will likely propose major grant eliminations as well. The FY2025 federal budget, in addition, remains contested. It is unknown how states will respond to these changes.

Actionable insights for states

Use data to guide decisions

The panelists emphasized the importance of using a data-driven approach to generate long-term solutions for structural deficits in state economies. Cautious budgeting, scenario planning, multi-year forecasting, and midyear adjustments will be key. 

Stay aware and be flexible

State representatives must also stay alert to impoundment tactics and legal risks, prepare to respond if funding is halted or rerouted, and query how to adapt programs if funding is cut. Upcoming reports by The Council of State Governments will detail how to maximize the impact of state tax dollars by finding new efficiencies and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse of funds. 

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