In Episode 144 of the podcast, I found myself in the passenger seat, quite literally, as Steve Morreale drove me through the streets of Boston. For over two hours, we talked about AI, communications, policing, and leadership, with the Charles River and the hallowed halls of Harvard rolling by outside the window.
I’ve been excited about AI for a long time. But sitting beside Steve, with decades of policing and leadership experience behind him, I felt a renewed sense of urgency about why leaders in the public sector need to embrace this technology, and what’s at stake if they don’t.
Is AI Really for Policing?
Many in policing and the public sector still think AI is for people like me in marketing and communications, not for them. Steve couldn’t disagree more. He sees AI as a tool to boost productivity, creativity, and innovation within police organisations — if leaders are willing to experiment.
“Without using it, you’re operating at a deficit,” he told me, as we passed Harvard Square.
Steve talked about the importance of trial and error. Feed AI your policies, ask it what’s missing, see how other agencies are approaching challenges, and learn from what it offers back. It’s about iterative learning, refining your prompts, and getting curious enough to discover new possibilities.
The Power of Voice, Stream of Consciousness, and Letting AI Organise Chaos
One of the parts of our conversation that resonated most with me was how Steve uses AI daily. He dictates edits to his book while sitting in a hotel bar, speaks his thoughts out loud to AI to organise his notes, and uses tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Notebook LM for research and writing.
I’ve always believed that the richest form of communication is from the brain to the mouth, unfiltered, before doubt or exhaustion can hold it back. AI finally gives us a tool to capture that raw thinking and turn it into something structured and usable.
For me, using voice with AI has replaced the heavy burden of journaling at the end of a long day. It makes me more productive, more thoughtful, and, as Steve said, it organises the chaotic mind.
AI Won’t Replace Us, but It Can Free Us to Lead
Steve and I share the view that AI is not about replacing people; it’s about giving leaders better tools. But the human mind remains central. AI sometimes gets things wrong, hallucinates, or cites inaccurate references, so it’s critical that leaders interrogate the outputs and apply discernment.
Steve’s background as an investigator means he questions AI the way he would question a witness. And in doing so, he says, “AI gets stronger.” It learns, refines, and becomes a better partner in the process.
Leadership Is About People
As we wrapped up our Boston drive, we talked about Steve’s book, Choosing to Lead: Ideas and Approaches for Leading Police Organisations. He shared that in policing, people often get promoted to manage, but not to lead. For him, true leadership is about others — building trust, mentoring, and creating opportunities for people to grow.
AI, used well, can take care of the repetitive tasks, freeing leaders to focus on what matters most: relationships, people, and culture.
On the Eve of Harvard
As I head to the Kennedy School of Government, our conversation with the Boston skyline in the rear-view mirror feels like the perfect primer. We don’t know what we don’t know. But if there’s one thing I’m taking with me, it’s this:
AI isn’t something the public sector should fear or ignore. It’s something we need to test, refine, and use intentionally, so we can serve better, lead better, and think bigger.
About the Podcast Host
Joanne Sweeney is a specialist in public-sector marketing and digital communications. She’s the author of Public Sector Marketing Pro and the creator of the Professional Diploma in AI for Public Sector Marketing. With years of experience in training, consulting, and advocating for digital transformation, Joanne provides insight and guidance for government agencies navigating the digital landscape. She is also the host of the award-winning Public Sector Marketing Show podcast.
