Two British police forces have become the first in the UK to deploy an AI-powered assistant as part of a new trial exploring how the technology can support public engagement.
‘Bobbi’, the AI assistant, is being piloted by Thames Valley Police and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary.
The trial aims to assess how effectively Bobbi can handle public enquiries, providing clear and human-like responses. For now, the assistant is limited to non-emergency queries.
Thames Valley Police says Bobbi relies on “closed-source” information to guide users with advice and next steps. The force also emphasised that any data shared with the assistant is kept confidential and will not be used outside the participating police forces.
“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,” said Chief Superintendent Simon Dodds, head of contact management for both forces.
“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.”
