Saline Co. Sheriff’s Office said AI was used to edit evidence photo after online backlash
Mon, August 3, 2026 at 5:29 PM
4VIEW ALL PHOTOS
The Saline County Sheriff’s Office is explaining why it used artificial intelligence to edit a Facebook photo that showed evidence from a recent drug arrest, after the image sparked questions online. (PHOTO: Saline County Sheriff’s Office)
SALINE COUNTY, Ark. (KATV) —The Saline County Sheriff’s Office is explaining why it used artificial intelligence to edit a Facebook photo that showed evidence from a recent drug arrest, after the image sparked questions online
The photo showed evidence from a traffic stop where deputies said they seized two firearms, more than 2,800 grams of marijuana, ecstasy pills, about $3,000 in cash and drug-related paraphernalia
But after the image was posted, many commenters questioned whether parts of the photo appeared to be AI-generated
One commenter wrote, “The stack of money looks AI.”
Another said, “That bill in the photo is obviously AI.”
The Sheriff’s Office later confirmed that artificial intelligence was used to edit the image before it was posted. The agency said the technology was only used to clean up the background because the photo was taken inside a patrol room
In a statement, the Sheriff’s Office said the arrest was real and that the evidence shown in the photo was real. The agency also apologized for causing confusion
The original photo was later shared alongside the edited version
An AI image detector also classified the edited image as 99% AI-generated when tested by Channel 7. AI detectors can produce results that vary and are not considered definitive proof that an image was created entirely by AI
Robert Steinbuch, a law professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, said using an edited image could create credibility concerns if the case goes to trial
“I think it presents a problem because presumably those are the officers involved in whatever investigation took place,” Steinbuch said. “If this case goes to trial, they may be called to testify as to what occurred in creating this image, and that may undermine their credibility.”
Steinbuch said a defense attorney could question whether the image accurately represented what happened during the investigation
“A good defense attorney would say, ‘Did you present this image?’” Steinbuch said. “And is this image accurately reflecting what actually took place? And the answer they must provide is no.”
Steinbuch said he is not aware of a specific law preventing law enforcement from using AI this way, but said the situation raises broader questions about public trust and the accuracy of images
“How do you know if anything’s accurate?” Steinbuch said
The traffic stop case remains under investigation, with charges still being pursued
