From Elon Musk to cop car chases, how a software engineer launched a police AI startup

Daniel Francis uses AI at Abel to streamline police reports, inspired by real events.

: Daniel Francis, founder of Abel, develops AI solutions to simplify police report processes. After a high-speed ride-along, he envisioned AI helping write complex chase reports. Abel, now used in Richmond, CA, leverages body cam data to save police officers time. His company, with $5 million in seed funding, aims to reduce paperwork for understaffed departments.

Daniel Francis, the founder of the startup Abel, has leveraged his experience with the police to create AI that assists in writing police reports. His inspiration came during a 135 mph car chase with an officer, during which Francis contemplated the challenges AI could solve in writing complex pursuit reports.

Abel's technology uses body cam footage and dispatch call data to compile police reports, significantly reducing the time officers spend on this task. Thanks to a $5 million seed round led by Day One Ventures and Y Combinator, Abel is currently being implemented in Richmond, CA, where it allows officers to draft reports more efficiently.

Despite facing competition from companies like Axon and Policereports.ai, Francis is optimistic that Abel can relieve some of the workload from police departments. He emphasizes that if the police can spend less time on paperwork, they can focus on their primary duties, ultimately improving their job satisfaction and effectiveness.