The UK Home Office has announced the introduction of a new AI call-routing system for 101 will get callers to the right service faster, while freeing up police to tackle crime and help victims. According to the UK Government, the new AI software will slash waiting times for reporting crimes to the police, helping to unclog the 101 service amid huge levels of misdirected, nuisance and prank calls.
The police’s non-emergency line receives 20 million calls each year. Around 20% – four million – of these are for non-policing organisations such as local councils, NHS 111 or the 105 power outage helpline. However, the line also receives ridiculous reports on issues from delayed pizza delivery to slow pub service and requests for a lift, wasting vital time that police should be spending tackling crime.
Backed by a £1.4 million government investment, the new system will get the public to the right organisation faster, while freeing up call handlers to respond to crime reports, safeguarding concerns and victims more quickly. It is estimated that the new system will save policing up to £8.5 million each year, releasing funds for local forces to invest in their most pressing priorities.
Crime and Policing Minister, Sarah Jones, said, “Police call handlers are wasting hours fielding calls meant for other organisations. Every minute spent on these calls is time taken away from helping people who genuinely need their support.
AI is already helping police catch dangerous criminals and speed up investigations. Now, it will help bring control rooms into the 21st century, freeing up time and unlocking millions of pounds. Forces can reinvest those savings into tackling the crime on our streets.”
The system has been developed by the Home Office and National Police Chiefs’ Council, with delivery partner Vodafone Business. It uses an AI model to match why someone is calling 101 to a set of likely reasons, then redirects non-police issues to the correct agency before the caller enters a queue.
At present, these calls are only identified after someone has spoken to a handler, wasting the caller’s time and increasing wait times for people who need police assistance. The new system has been subject to rigorous training and testing by the Home Office and police to ensure its performance is not affected by factors such as callers’ accents and phrasing.
During pilots in 15 police forces it successfully diverted non-police issues including damage-only road traffic incidents, fly tipping and noise complaints to the right agencies.
There are strong safeguards in place to ensure that no one in need of police assistance is ever accidently diverted. Callers are told how the system has understood their reason for calling and must accept or reject this.
Where the reason for calling falls into a broad category, additional safeguarding questions are asked. If the system is in any doubt, the call is passed directly to the police without delay. Callers will always be able to speak to a handler if they wish. The use of the system may vary by force, depending on what telephone menu services they already have in place. The current 999 system has not changed.
National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Contact Operations, A/Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hooper, said, “This innovation addresses a long-standing challenge in public contact by using AI to triage and redirect non-police calls. It’ll help forces manage demand more effectively, freeing up call handlers to focus on those who genuinely need police support. By reducing unnecessary call handling, this system marks a major step forward in modernising how the public interacts with policing – making services more efficient, responsive, and easier to navigate.”
