Britain’s first AI police virtual assistant has been launched in a bid to provide a new way for the public to contact them.
The virtual assistant, who has been named “Bobbi”, has been launched as part of a trial by both Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, and Thames Valley Police.
The forces combined to jointly develop the assistant to address frequently asked, non-emergency questions, offering a new way for the public to engage with them.
A spokesperson for the forces said: “Bobbi will interact with you like a human, but is entirely automated.
“This is the first time this technology has been used in policing in the UK and offers an additional service, alongside our online forms, telephone lines and front counters, for those who prefer to use a virtual assistant to ask questions and seek help or advice.
“You cannot use the technology to report a crime or as an alternative to the emergency 999 line.
“Bobbi has been tested by over 200 people during its development, including by representatives from victim care groups and independent scrutiny panel members.”
The spokesperson added that Bobbi would make suggestions and recommendations using the same guidelines and information available to the human call handlers at the forces.
They added: “If Bobbi is unable to answer your question or if you specify that you want to speak to a person, your chat will be directed to one of our digital desk operators – who are all real people.”
Chief Superintendent Simon Dodds, head of contact management for both forces, said: “This is a really exciting time for us as we trial this technology in policing.
“Locally and nationally, contact into the police increases year-on-year, online and over the phone, and it is important that the valuable skillset of our call handlers and digital desk operators is spent on emergencies and complex, sensitive issues.
“Empathy, common sense and that intangible gut instinct are some of the many human skills that need to guide our interactions with the public, particularly in their time of need.
“By providing quick responses to commonly asked, non-emergency questions, Bobbi will enhance our service to our communities, ensuring that every member of the public can get the help they need, whenever they need it.
“Bobbi will always remain as a work in progress, so whilst we are launching the technology today after an intense building and testing period, our experienced staff will continue to train it to fix any bugs, remain up-to-date with legislation and policies and evolve the technology in line with the needs of our communities.”
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