The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) has introduced a new Artificial Intelligence call system named SARA (Smart Answering Routing Assistant) to handle non-emergency calls.
SARA operates 24/7, asking callers short questions to determine whether their inquiry can be resolved automatically or needs a Communicator. All 9-1-1 calls will still be handled by human operators.
“For several months, our Communications Bureau and Information Technology Unit has been working in close consultation with the Hyper team to develop, train, and refine SARA, repeatedly testing a wide range of scenarios to confirm it’s able to receive and handle calls appropriately,” says Jeff Hill, Deputy Chief of the Halton Regional Police Service. “We’re not only confident in SARA’s performance, but we’re proud to be adopting such reliable and cutting-edge technology that will help us reduce the number of non-emergency calls our Communicators spend time on, which at the moment is approximately 160,000 per year. This step forward will undoubtedly improve our service to the community by ensuring those who are reporting non-emergencies receive immediate assistance, while affording more resources to our Communicators who can focus on emergency calls that will ultimately enhance public safety.”
Members of the public should call 9-1-1 in an emergency, which includes situations where lives are at risk and/or there is severe bodily injury; when the loss or destruction of property is at risk; or if a crime is in progress or has just occurred. This includes impaired driving, collisions causing injuries, fire and medical emergencies, robbery, domestic disturbances with violence, assault, and break and enters.
Members of the public should call our non-emergency number when a crime has occurred that requires police but the crime is not in progress; there is no immediate threat to public safety or property, and there are no bodily injuries; they wish to make a report; to request police information or advice; and/or to reach any member of the HRPS.
To provide information to the police anonymously, call or text Crime Stoppers, or click here.
Those who dial 9-1-1 in error are asked to remain on the line until they have spoken to a Communicator who will confirm that they do not require police assistance.
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