An artificial intelligence virtual assistant introduced by Thames Valley Police has handled about 200 non-emergency conversations a day in its first six months, the force has said.
The chatbot, known as Bobbi, was launched by Thames Valley Police and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary in November 2025 and is believed to be the first AI virtual assistant of its kind to be used by a UK police force.
The forces said Bobbi had helped deal with thousands of public enquiries, allowing staff to spend more time responding to emergencies and complex cases.
According to the forces, around 45% of conversations with Bobbi are resolved without requiring intervention from police staff.
They said the technology is supporting the equivalent of about 14,000 public contacts a year and has freed up more than 3,200 hours of contact centre staff time.
Police said the virtual assistant provides another way for people to contact the force for non-emergency advice, alongside telephone lines and online forms, but is not intended to replace speaking to a person.
Chief Digital and Information Officer Mike Lattanzio said: “This is a pioneering moment in policing.
“Bobbi has allowed us to rethink how we manage non-emergency demand, offering the public more choice in how they contact and interact with us, and ensuring our officers and staff can focus on the people and situations that need them most.”
The forces said Bobbi had also helped identify safeguarding concerns.
Since its launch, the chatbot has identified at least one high-risk incident requiring escalation every day, according to Thames Valley Police. On average, it has flagged two cases involving violence against women and girls each day for immediate intervention.
Police said one young person was able to discreetly seek help through Bobbi during a high-risk domestic incident when it was not safe to speak on the phone. The conversation was escalated to a live operator, who dispatched officers to the scene.
In another case, a parent used the chatbot to seek advice about concerns involving their child at school after being unsure whether the issue was a criminal matter.
Mr Lattanzio said: “That instinct, to not want to be a burden, or to feel unsure whether a problem is worth reporting, is common.
“Bobbi is quietly changing that by offering a new way for communities to contact us that didn’t exist before.”
The assistant is built using AI technology but relies on information provided by Thames Valley Police and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, rather than drawing information from the wider internet.
The forces said work was already under way to expand Bobbi’s capabilities as they continue developing the service.
