It’s not to the point of Hollywood’s “Minority Report,” in which “Precrime” police use foreknowledge to arrest people before they commit crimes, but police across the country are turning to artificial intelligence to carry out their duties.

More than half of police agencies use AI or machine learning tools for data analysis, and it’s proving to be a natural fit, said Scott White, director of George Washington University’s Cybersecurity Program and Cyber Academy.

“Police respond to crime through crime forecasting or intelligence-led policing,” Mr. White said. “We can actually move to the area where we may be able to actually prevent criminal conduct from occurring with certain types of crime.”

As it cruises the streets, a police car equipped with an AI-powered camera can read license plates and check the data against the department’s files, maybe spotting a stolen vehicle or one registered to someone with outstanding warrants.

AI can sift through hundreds of hours of body camera footage to detect key moments or spot trends otherwise missed in police encounters.

Facial recognition software may be coming soon, giving officers another tool to spot suspects or other potential community dangers.