Phoenix Police Roll Out Cutting Edge AI for Non-Emergency Calls

I've been talking about Artificial Intelligence (AI) a lot yesterday. The state of Arizona joined a coalition of states in an attempt to mitigate the effects of AI on our children. Now, the largest metropolitan area in our state has announced a new plan to use AI to help out in an emergency.

The Phoenix Police Department has officially launched an AI-powered call triage system for its non-emergency Crime Stop line.

According to their website, the AI call operator is "cutting-edge technology [that] will improve service, reduce wait times, and help ensure that emergency calls receive priority attention."

The city is implementing AI technology to improve response times, reduce stress on dispatchers, and help make sure emergency calls are prioritized effectively.

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What Does an AI Police Dispatcher Mean for Phoenix?

The AI system can communicate in 36 languages, including English, Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, Hindi, Russian, and more. When someone calls the non-emergency line, the AI will greet them and ask simple, mostly yes/no questions to determine the nature of the call.

Based on the caller’s responses, the AI routes them to the appropriate resource, such as the jail inmate lookup system, the Arizona Humane Society, the barking dog hotline, or a live dispatcher, if needed.

Many of us are concerned about AI getting out of control. Here's something the state of Arizona is doing to protect our kids: Arizona's Bipartisan Coalition Tackles AI's Impact On Youth Well-Being

What Can the New AI System Do?

Here's a real-world example of what the new AI system can do.

If someone calls to report a vehicle break-in, the AI will assess whether the report can be filed online. If that's possible, the caller will get a text message with a link to the portal where they can file the report.

If an officer is needed, the call would then be transferred to a Communications Operator, allowing a person to be dispatched to the location.

READ: What You Can Refuse To Answer At A Police Stop in Arizona

Why is Phoenix Implementing the New AI Call System?

This is not just a call routing system; it is a smart way to free up resources, allowing true emergencies to be handled in a timely and efficient manner.

“The goal of the system is to get the citizens the help that they need faster and more efficiently, too,” said Phoenix PD Communications Administrator Allie Edwards. “It's also going to free up the call takers to take that emergency and the non-emergency calls that they need to triage and then send to an officer in the field.”

The primary goals are to provide faster service and increased efficiency..