United Kingdom, Feb. 16 -- Robot police officers could be patrolling UK streets in the next three years, a policing expert has claimed.

Up to 1,000 officers in Britain are set to be polled on whether they would trust AI-powered bots to work alongside them - either as "service" droids to assist members of the public with inquiries or as "crime-fighting machines" capable of chasing and apprehending suspects.

Researchers are also keen to see how supportive police officers would be of using military-style "smart" helmets that could help them track down and identify suspects, record video footage and share information.

Boffins argue that robot police officers are on their way to becoming a reality as forces around the globe deal with a shor...