Winter Garden police introduce AI technology to handle nonemergency calls
Winter Garden Police uses AI to pick up non-emergency calls
The Winter Garden Police Department is using an AI service called AVA to help them respond to non-emergency calls. AVA is intended to help callers without making them wait on hold. Winter Garden PD says the technology will give telecommunicators more time to focus on emergency calls.
WINTER GARDEN, Fla. - The Winter Garden Police Department is turning to artificial intelligence to help manage nonemergency calls and reduce wait times for residents.
The department recently introduced an AI-powered system called AVA, which will assist with communications serving Winter Garden, Ocoee, Windermere and Oakland.
New system aims to reduce wait times
What they're saying:
Instead of speaking directly with a dispatcher, callers making nonemergency requests will initially interact with an automated voice system.
"Rather than talking to one of our dispatchers, you're going to be talking to an automated voice," said Capt. Mike Mason with the Winter Garden Police Department.
Mason said the department commissioned the technology in February and has been working toward its implementation for several months.
"We're pretty excited about it," he said.
Technology already in use in Volusia County
Local perspective:
Winter Garden is not the first Florida law enforcement agency to adopt the technology. Volusia County introduced the AI-powered system last year.
The system is designed to ask callers the questions dispatchers would typically ask to gather information about nonemergency incidents.
"Every possible question that we would ask, AVA is asking that caller," said Brittany Yisrael, a communications shift commander in Volusia County.
During a demonstration, AVA could be heard asking a caller for the address of a reported noise complaint.
Dispatchers can focus on emergencies
Big picture view:
Winter Garden police say the technology will help free up dispatchers to concentrate on emergency calls and radio communications with officers in the field.
Mason said dispatchers often have to manage several responsibilities simultaneously, including incoming telephone calls and radio traffic.
He said the added support could help ease that workload and allow dispatchers to give more attention to situations requiring an immediate response.
Callers can still reach a live dispatcher
Residents who become frustrated with the automated system or prefer speaking with a person will still have that option.
Mason said AVA is designed to recognize when a caller is dissatisfied or having difficulty with the system and transfer the call to a dispatcher.
He added that the system also has a process for routing callers to a live dispatcher if the technology is not functioning properly.
Police say the goal is to improve the handling of nonemergency calls while allowing human dispatchers to remain focused on situations that need their attention.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Winter Garden Police Department, Brittany Yisrael, a communications shift commander in Volusia County, and Aurelian.