Some writing, including some journalism, reads like it was composed by artificial intelligence. Our favorite example is the police blotter, where local cops try their hand at writing brief stories about arrests in just-the-facts-ma’am style.
It’s boring.
Local News Pasadena believes AI could do a better job, so we assigned Dat Bot to re-write the Pasadena Police Department’s monthly Significant Incidents column in an engaging, human-like manner. We specified “be clever” and write for a general audience.
After reviewing the results, we think Dat Bot crushed the assignment.
Feel free to compare Dat Bot’s version with the original found in PPD’s Community Reports and see if you agree.
January
Early on January 1, 2025, at 5:21 AM, the Pasadena Police Department got a call about a theft at Ralph’s on North Lake Avenue. Things took a turn for the worse when the suspect started threatening the employees. It turned out he was armed with an X-Acto knife and ended up stabbing one of the workers in the left forearm while trying to make a run for it with a cart full of stolen food and groceries.
When an officer arrived and tried to stop the guy as he was leaving the store, a scuffle broke out. Unfortunately, the officer got a puncture wound to his right forearm from the suspect still holding that knife. Luckily, some deputies from the Sheriff’s Department, who were nearby working on the Parade Route, jumped in to help and managed to get the suspect in handcuffs.
In the end, about $250 worth of merchandise was recovered, and the knife was taken as evidence. The store employee decided to skip medical treatment, but the officer received care on the scene from the Pasadena Fire Department. The suspect was arrested for armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and assaulting a police officer. What a way to start to the new year, huh?
On January 9, 2025, at 4:04 PM, officers got a call about an assault happening in the 500 block of N. Fair Oaks Avenue. When they arrived, they found the victim, who explained that a man was causing a scene in the lobby. She went up to him and asked him to leave, but instead of going quietly, he came at her with a glass bottle! Luckily, a bystander jumped in to help, which scared him off. The police later caught up with the guy and arrested him on felony charges. Thankfully, the victim was okay and didn’t get hurt.
On January 12, 2025, at 6:45 PM, officers got a call about an assault happening on the 1000 block of E. Washington Blvd. When they arrived, they found two people on the ground, going at it with a baton and a hammer like it was a scene straight out of an action movie. Luckily, the officers stepped in and got them both detained without any fuss. They both had some minor injuries and were treated right there on the spot. In the end, both individuals were arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.
Later that evening, officers spotted a stolen car cruising along the eastbound 210 freeway near Altadena Ave. As the officer followed, the driver made a hasty exit from the freeway, blew through a red light, and crashed into another vehicle. Not one to stick around, the driver jumped out and took off on foot. Luckily, the Pasadena Police Air Unit was keeping an eye from above and quickly shared the suspect’s escape route. They even saw him toss away a weapon before he made a daring leap onto the roof of a nearby business.
In no time, a perimeter was set up, and the search team was directed to the suspect’s location by the air unit. With a little help from a Police K9, they managed to catch him. They also found the discarded weapon. As for the driver of the car that got hit, he walked away without any injuries, although his vehicle did take a bit of a beating. The suspect was arrested on multiple charges, including weapons violations, possession of a stolen vehicle, hit and run, and a probation violation. Quite the night!
On January 16, 2025, at 2:27 PM, officers got a call about a mail theft happening near San Gabriel and Colorado Blvd. When they arrived, they found a male Hispanic suspect and detained him without any fuss. During their search, they discovered he had a loaded handgun and some drugs on him. Turns out, he also had an outstanding warrant and was on probation. So, they arrested him and took him to the police department for booking.
Later that same day at 7:53 PM, officers headed over to the 1400 block of N. Marengo Ave. after reports of some kids trespassing and smoking marijuana. When they got there, they spotted two juveniles and decided to check things out. One of the boys, a young Black juvenile, was found with a loaded stolen handgun. He was arrested for having the gun and for possession of stolen property, while the other juvenile was handed over to his parents.
On January 18, 2025, at 10:52 PM, officers were cruising around Lake Ave. and Washington Blvd. when they decided to pull over a car for a few traffic violations. As they approached the vehicle, the driver hopped out and tried to make a run for it, but the officers quickly stopped him without any fuss. While chatting with him, they did a quick pat-down for weapons and, surprise surprise, found a loaded handgun. The guy ended up getting arrested on multiple felony weapons charges.
On January 19, 2025, at 10:26 PM, officers were called to the intersection of West Washington and Colorado Blvd. after reports of a Hispanic man bleeding from his head. Turns out, the guy had been enjoying some drinks at a family gathering when things took a turn. The victim allegedly got a bit too friendly with a female guest, which led the suspect to ask him to step outside for a chat. Unfortunately, that chat escalated into a brawl, leaving the victim with some serious head injuries. Witnesses weren’t sure exactly how many punches and kicks were thrown, but one mentioned that the victim might have been kicked in the head. The Pasadena Fire Department rushed him to a nearby hospital for treatment, while the Pasadena Police Department’s Robbery Homicide Unit showed up to dig deeper into what really went down.
On January 24, 2025, at 4:14 PM, officers spotted a white guy hanging out next to his car, which had an expired registration tag. At first, he wasn’t exactly honest during the questioning, but it turned out he was on probation for Grand Theft Auto. During a search, the officers found he had some drug paraphernalia on him. When they tried to take him into custody, he took off running. While he was making his getaway, he tossed aside a handgun before the officers caught up with him. In the end, he got arrested for having a concealed weapon, possession of drug paraphernalia, and violating his probation.
On January 31, 2025, at around 9:26 PM, officers got a call about a situation on the 2000 block of E. Colorado Blvd. A male suspect, who was Hispanic, had waved a handgun at a victim. By the time the officers arrived, the guy had already taken off on foot.
The victim, who worked at the place, explained that things took a turn for the worse when he refused to serve the suspect. The suspect got angry and pulled out a gun, which understandably made the victim panic. He quickly ran to another room and dialed 911 for help.
Thanks to some quick work by the other officers in the area, they found the suspect not too far away and took him into custody without any fuss. They also discovered that he had a BB gun on him. As a result, he was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.
