Ohio Police Department Lets AI Answer Non-Emergency Calls
What to know
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Akron police have implemented an artificial intelligence virtual assistant, “Ava,” to handle non-emergency calls, while 9-1-1 emergency calls will continue to be answered by human dispatchers.
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The system collects information from non-emergency callers and routes emergencies or unresolved calls to a dispatcher, with staff reviewing AI-gathered details before officers respond.
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Police said the technology, developed by Seattle-based Aurelian, is intended to free up dispatchers for emergency calls following a successful pilot and regional rollout.
CLEVELAND — Residents seeking non-emergency services from Akron police will now be routed to “Ava,” an artificial intelligence virtual assistant, the department said.
Those who call 9-1-1, however, will still speak to a person.
Ava works by gathering information from non-emergency callers and passing it along to officers. If the call is for an emergency, or if Ava can’t help the caller, the system sends the caller to a person.
Ava is already active. A reporter for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer called the non-emergency line Wednesday and was greeted by AI.
It is part of a growing trend among police departments nationwide aimed at boosting effectiveness.
Akron Police Chief Brian Harding said in a statement the technology aims to free up dispatchers who are responding to emergency calls. Dispatchers will also review the information Ava gathers to make sure officers have a complete understanding, police said.
The technology that powers Ava was developed by Aurelian, a Seattle-based tech company.
The company claims the technology will not only direct callers to the appropriate place but also follow up with non-emergency callers to make sure their issues were resolved, according to Aurelian’s website.
Akron police’s use of the technology follows a test run last summer. The Summit Emergency Communications Center has also implemented this technology and considered it successful, Akron police said in a statement.
The department’s non-emergency line is 330-375-2181.
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