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Halton Regional Police in Ontario has become the first Canadian law enforcement agency to use artificial intelligence in the recruitment and training of 911 call takers and dispatchers. The force partnered with American AI company GovWorx to develop the technology, which creates realistic emergency call simulations designed to sharpen candidates’ decision-making, communication and crisis management skills.
Addressing a Staffing Crisis in 911 Communications
Brian Dodd, manager of Halton Police’s 911 communications bureau, said the department introduced the technology to tackle a persistent staffing problem. Not all candidates who secure 911 jobs successfully complete their training after hiring. As a result, the force wanted a smarter way to identify suitable candidates earlier in the process.
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“The training takes quite a long time — close to a year,” Dodd said. “What we’re trying to do at the very beginning stage in recruiting is find the right candidates, and this software helps us do that through testing and AI scenarios.”
Beyond recruitment, Halton Police also uses the same GovWorx technology during active training. Furthermore, the force plans to use it to evaluate dispatcher performance after hiring. Dodd said the department currently employs 75 dispatchers and call takers and aims to bring on between four and eight additional staff this year.
Cutting Evaluation Time and Setting a Canadian First
According to Halton Police, the AI system reduces candidate evaluation time by 50 per cent. Dodd noted that the technology already has a strong track record in the United States. “This technology is used successfully in hundreds of communication centres in the U.S.,” he said. “We’ve been working with them and speaking to them about the success.”
Dodd expressed pride in the milestone. “We are proud to be the first Canadian customer and the first Canadian agency to be using this type of technology,” he said.
A Second AI Tool Cuts 911 Wait Times
Halton Police also introduced a separate AI system called SARA AI to handle certain non-emergency phone calls. The technology has already made a measurable difference. Specifically, SARA AI reduced 911 wait times by nearly two seconds per call.
Dodd highlighted the importance of response speed. “There is a standard in North America that we can proudly say we meet, which is that 90 per cent of all 911 calls are answered within 15 seconds,” he said. “Obviously, if we can do better than that, that’s what we strive to do.”
So far this year, the SARA AI bot has answered 95,367 calls and spent 1,195 hours speaking with residents. In addition, it sent more than 2,470 text messages directing people to report incidents through other channels, such as the collision reporting centre.
Together, both AI systems reflect a broader shift in how Canadian police services are approaching emergency communications. Halton Police’s early adoption positions the force as a potential model for other agencies considering similar technology.
