Bobbi in action.
Thames Valley Police is one of the first two police forces in the country to trial a ‘pioneering’ new way of contacting them.
An AI ‘virtual assistant’, called Bobbi, has been created to answer frequently asked, non-emergency questions that come in to the police.
A virtual assistant is an automated help service that lets you type questions and get replies, much like having a simple conversation online.
Bobbi will interact ‘like a human’, the force says.
What's new?
This is the first time this technology has been used in policing in the UK.
It offers an additional service – alongside TVP’s online forms, telephone lines and front counters – to ask questions or seek advice.
The technology can't be used to report a crime or as an alternative to dialling 999.
Bobbi was tested by more than 200 people during its ‘intense building and testing period’, including by representatives from victim care groups and independent scrutiny panel members.
Chief Superintendent Simon Dodds, head of contact management, 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.
“It is important that the valuable skill set of our call handlers and digital desk operators is spent on emergencies and complex, sensitive issues.
“By providing quick responses to common, 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’, he added.
Experienced staff will continue to fix any bugs and keep it up to date with new legislation and policies.
About Bobbi
Bobbi uses closed-source information to provide advice on a variety of topics.
Closed-source means that all information Bobbi uses has been provided by Thames Valley Police and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, the other force using it.
The information used by Bobbi is the same information used by human call handlers and digital desk operators answering the same questions.
Any data shared during a chat ‘will remain confidential’ and will not be used outside of our forces.
If Bobbi is unable to answer a question – or if you specify that you want to speak to a person – the chat will be directed to a real person.
Digital desk operators work 24/7 – they receive all crime reports submitted online and will now pick up any chats that cannot be answered via Bobbi.
Any misuse of the technology ‘will draw digital desk operators away from dealing with real incidents and issues,’ police warn.
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