The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is proposing to spend $1.9 million on artificial intelligence software from a Berlin-based company identified in city documents as Penegrine AI (also referred to as Peregrine AI in budget materials). The system is intended to analyze footage already collected by law enforcement, detect objects, add contextual information and issue real-time risk alerts, according to materials and demonstrations from the vendor.
What JSO says the software will do
According to a demonstration on the company’s website and application materials submitted by JSO, the platform operates in stages:
- Capture footage from cameras and other sources;
- Detect objects and people within the frame;
- Add context such as depth perception, lane descriptions and risk factors in real time;
- Alert authorized users to individuals or situations deemed at risk.
In its State Board of Immigration Enforcement application, JSO said the platform would be used to "examine data and provide intelligence to identify and investigate immigration enforcement efforts." In a statement provided to Action News Jax, JSO said the software would work with data already collected, allowing authorized users to potentially link criminal activity to other data sources. City officials have not released the full contract or the scope of data retention and sharing tied to the purchase.
City Council debate over policy and oversight
The planned expenditure drew pushback at a recent budget meeting from City Councilman Jimmy Peluso, who urged more caution and called for a citywide AI policy before proceeding. Peluso raised broader concerns about the technology’s impact on civil liberties and government transparency.
"I have very real concerns about AI, what it means for the economy, what it means for this government, what it means for the rights of our citizens," Peluso said. "We literally heard last week experts in AI say that there is a 10% chance AI will kill the human race."
Peluso also pressed for clarity on what data would be protected, what could be sold, what is permitted to be preserved and the locations where such information would be stored.
Not all council members voiced opposition. Councilman Ron Salem said he supports developing citywide policy while still allowing the city and its constitutional officers to pursue technological upgrades.
"I have no problem in developing a citywide policy with all the constitutional officers and everybody else, but you can't stop progress at the same time," Salem said. "We just can't stop — We need to continue."
Regional interest and vendor details
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is only one of at least 30 law enforcement agencies pursuing or requesting funding for the platform. Local governments and agencies in St. Johns, Nassau and Clay counties were also listed among those seeking the software. The vendor is identified in city documents as headquartered in Berlin and advertises features such as context awareness and depth perception in real time.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Proposed cost | $1.9 million |
| Vendor (as listed) | Penegrine AI / Peregrine AI |
| Vendor HQ | Berlin |
| Other local agencies seeking funding | St. Johns, Nassau, Clay counties |
Questions that remain
City leaders and civil liberty advocates will likely press for answers on several issues if the purchase moves forward, including:
- Which specific camera systems and data sources the AI will access;
- Who qualifies as an "authorized user" and what access controls exist;
- Data retention policies, protections against sale or misuse of data, and where data will be stored;
- Audit mechanisms and public reporting requirements to monitor performance and potential bias.
The debate in Jacksonville mirrors a broader national conversation as police agencies increasingly explore AI tools for surveillance, analytics and operational support. City Council members signaled they want stronger policy guardrails even as some officials urged not to impede technological adoption.
As the budget process advances, residents can expect additional hearings and potential proposals for an AI policy that would define how the city and its constitutional officers use, share and preserve data generated by such systems.
