Two police forces in the South of England, Thames Valley Police and the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary are trialing an AI chatbot named Bobbi to answer frequently asked, non emergency questions. They claim to be the first forces in the country to employ this technology.
Easing Pressure on Call Handlers
The introduction of Bobbi is intended to enhance service and relieve pressure on human call handlers. Chief Superintendent Simon Dodds emphasized that the initiative is not about cutting staff.
"It's not unusual within Hampshire and Thames Valley to see 5,000 calls come into our rooms across a 24 hour period and trying to prioritize the 999 calls above the 101 calls and online demand is a real challenge for us," he explained.
Bobbi will operate as an additional service, complementing existing telephone lines, online forms, and front counters.
AI Training and Operations
The AI has been trained on the exact same information referenced by the two police forces' call handlers and digital desk operators. Over 200 people, including representatives from victim care groups, tested the AI during its development phase.
If Bobbi is unable to answer a question, or if a user specifically requests to speak to a person, the conversation will be seamlessly redirected to a member of police staff.
Chief Superintendent Simon Dodds noted that by providing quick responses to common, non emergency queries, Bobbi will enhance service, ensuring the public receives help whenever needed. The AI will remain a continuous work in progress, with experienced staff constantly training it to fix any bugs, remain up to date with legislation and policies, and evolve in line with community needs.
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