Meet ‘Bobbi’: Police launch first AI virtual assistant
Britain’s first AI police virtual assistant has been launched to provide a new way for the public to communicate with them.
The virtual assistant, called “Bobbi”, was launched as part of a trial run by both Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary and Thames Valley Police.
The forces came together to jointly develop the assistant to answer frequently asked, non-urgent questions, offering a new way for the public to engage with those questions.
A spokesman for the force said: “Bobbi will interact with you like a human but will be fully automated.
“This is the first time this technology has been used in policing in the UK and provides an additional service alongside our online forms, phone lines and front counters for those who choose to use a virtual assistant to ask questions, get help or advice.
“You cannot use technology to report a crime or as an alternative to the emergency 999 line.
“Bobbi was tested by more than 200 people during its development, including representatives of victim care groups and independent review panel members.”
The spokesperson added that Bobbi will make suggestions and recommendations using the same guidelines and information available to human call handlers in the force.
They added: “If Bobbi is unable to answer your question or you indicate that you would like to speak to a person, your chat will be forwarded to one of our digital desk operators, all of whom are real people.”
Chief Superintendent Simon Dodds, head of contact management for both forces, said: “This is a really exciting time for us as we trial this technology in policing.
“Contact with police locally and nationally, online and over the phone, is increasing every year and it is important that the valuable skills of our call handlers and digital desk operators are spent on emergencies and complex, sensitive matters.
“Empathy, common sense, and abstract instinct are some of the many human skills that should guide our interactions with the public, especially in times of need.
Bobbi will enhance our service to our communities by providing rapid answers to frequently asked, non-urgent questions, ensuring every member of the public can get the help they need, when they need it.
“Bobbi will always remain a work in progress, so as we launch the technology today after an intense period of development and testing, our experienced staff will continue to train it to fix any bugs, stay up to date with legislation and policies, and evolve the technology in line with the needs of our communities.”
