London: The UK has introduced its first artificial intelligence-powered police virtual assistant named ‘Bobbi,’ marking a major milestone in digital policing as Thames Valley Police and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary begin trialling the tool.
The AI assistant is designed to interact with the public in a conversational, human-like manner and provide quick responses to frequently asked questions. However, officials stress that the system is strictly for non-emergency use and cannot be used to report crimes or replace the 999 emergency line.
According to the forces, Bobbi is meant to support existing contact options, including online forms, telephone services, and police front counters, rather than replace human staff.
During its development phase, Bobbi underwent testing by more than 200 individuals, including independent scrutiny panel members and representatives from victim care groups.
The assistant uses the same guidance and information provided to human call handlers to generate suggestions and recommendations. If Bobbi cannot answer a query, or if a user prefers to speak to a human officer, the system will automatically redirect them to a live operator.
Chief Superintendent Simon Dodds described it as a ‘really exciting time,’ and hopes this will allow staff to focus on ’emergencies and complex, sensitive issues.’
“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,” Dodds added.
The Chief also noted that, “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.”
Dodds went on to stress that Bobbi will remain a work in progress, with a team of experienced staff working to fix bugs and comply with regulations.
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