Kalamazoo Co. dispatch uses AI to aide in calls, improve efficiency [Video]

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Kalamazoo County Consolidated Dispatch Authority (KCCDA) is using artificial intelligence to help with non-emergency phone calls. 

KCCDA’s virtual assistant is called Ava, powered by Aurelian. Ava can react to requests and respond to questions for callers. 

About 260,000 non-emergency phone calls come into the dispatch center a year. These are calls that may be requesting a police report, inmate information and more. 

“We’re trying to find a way that we can more efficiently handle those calls, rather than having a 911 dispatcher downstairs answering that phone,” said Jeff Troyer, executive director for KCCDA. 

Troyer said they have only 47 of 61 dispatch positions filled. In 2023, calls came into the dispatch center on average every 69 seconds. 

“I think trying to find unique and innovative ways to handle workload with different technologies …