Jonesboro Dispatch Center Tests AI-Powered Call Assistant
The emergency dispatch center in Jonesboro is testing an AI system to manage non-emergency calls in order to ease the workload on human staff.
The Jonesboro dispatch center in Arkansas, United States, has begun testing an AI-based call assistant named Lezle to handle non-emergency calls and reduce the workload of human dispatchers.
First Shift with AI Support
The emergency dispatch center in the city of Jonesboro, Arkansas, deployed an AI dispatcher designed to handle non-emergency calls for its very first shift.
Origin of the System's Name
Named Lezle, the digital assistant received this moniker to honor the memory of former Jonesboro 911 dispatcher Lezle Wilson, who passed away in 2023.
Staffing Limitations and High Volume
The Jonesboro dispatch center receives hundreds of calls daily, but due to current staffing limitations, some shifts are operated with only three dispatchers.
The station currently employs 22 full-time dispatchers working 12-hour shifts and manages communications for over 200 police officers across nine police departments and 11 fire agencies.
Evaluations from Dispatchers
Savannah Tinsley, a dispatcher with two years of experience, stated that trying to manage the radio while simultaneously answering 911 and non-emergency calls is challenging, and that the AI significantly reduces workload and stress.
Dispatcher Terra Summers noted that she initially had concerns, but after using the system, they realized how beneficial it was for everyone.
How the AI Works
Lezle screens and answers incoming non-emergency calls; for example, when a caller wants to get fingerprints, the system takes their name and phone number and explains that they need to go to the police department.
Following the conversation, the system sends a text message to the caller containing the police department's operating hours and a notice about the $15 fingerprint fee.
Emergency Safety Measures
Training Coordinator Cristy Hundley emphasized that the AI will never answer a 911 call and, if it determines that a non-emergency call is actually an emergency, it will immediately transfer it to a dispatcher.
Future of the Trial Period
Throughout the ongoing two-day trial period, dispatchers are closely monitoring the AI's responses.
Officials plan to keep the AI dispatcher running overnight to share updates after the trial period concludes.