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Police forces in the United Kingdom have launched the country’s first AI chatbot for policing, designed to answer non-emergency queries online.
While your mind might leap to RoboCop or Blade Runner, the virtual assistant, called Bobbi, won’t be investigating crimes or replacing officers.
Instead, it offers quick responses to frequently asked questions in order to ease pressure on call handlers and front-counter teams.
“This is the first time this technology has been used in policing in the UK,” a spokesperson for both forces said.
“Bobbi interacts like a human, but is fully automated”.
The forces stress that Bobbi cannot be used to report crimes and does not replace the UK’s 999 emergency line. If it cannot answer a question, or if the user asks for a human, the chat is handed to a digital desk operator.
More than 200 people, including representatives from victim care organisations and independent scrutiny panels, have already tested the system.
Bobbi, a British nickname for police, follows the same guidance as human call handlers and can make recommendations based on official advice.
Chief Superintendent Simon Dodds, head of contact management for both forces, described the launch as “a really exciting time” for policing. With demand for police contact rising every year, he said, freeing up skilled staff for emergencies and complex cases is vital.
“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,” he said.
But by handling routine queries, “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”.
It is being trialled by two police forces in the South of England.
Thames Valley Police and the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary say they are the first forces in the UK to employ the technology.