In the 15 years that MCP has existed, its subject-matter experts (SMEs) have taken great pride in their ability to help clients resolve problems, whether it involves replacing or upgrading antiquated networks and systems, enhancing their operations, improving cybersecurity, developing strategic plans and effective governance, or finding the funding they need to do all of this and more.
However, they take equal pride in assisting clients in leveraging both known and unknown opportunities. The latter requires the capability to identify emerging strategies, tactics, and technologies. We term this “thought leadership,” and it’s foundational to our success. It’s not easy seeing around the corner or down the game board, but we do so daily on behalf of our clients.
A decade and a half ago, the topic of the day was Next Generation 911, which represented a giant leap forward for emergency response — and still does. Today, we’re discussing with clients how artificial intelligence (AI) might be used to improve public safety and justice outcomes.
While much still is unknown about AI — which exists to enhance human intelligence, not replace it, by the way — numerous exciting use cases already have emerged or are emerging.
Amazon Web Services developed an AI-driven solution called Amazon Connect for its call centers, initially rolling it out in the commercial sector before adapting it for public sector use. One of our clients is leveraging this technology to field non-emergency calls. When someone dials a non-emergency number, they immediately engage in an interactive exchange with an Amazon Connect chatbot, which provides the information or instructions the caller seeks or requires.
If someone dials a nonemergency number to report an actual emergency, Amazon Connect will immediately transfer the call to a telecommunicator when it recognizes specific keywords. The idea is to ease the burden on 911 centers and telecommunicators — who field approximately 240 million calls annually — a burden exacerbated by the severe staffing shortages affecting the 911 community nationwide. It’s a great idea.
Court systems have begun leveraging AI solutions for similar reasons. Robotic process automation (RPA) solutions manage basic data entry, enabling court administrative personnel to focus on tasks with greater value. For example, these solutions can process an electronic document by reading the case number and documenting the event in the case management system without any human intervention, significantly reducing errors.
While self-help websites, kiosks, and avatars have been utilized by court systems for more than a decade, AI is accelerating their evolution. Some examples include the self-help assistant navigator for digital interactions (SANDI) chatbot, utilized by Miami-Dade Courts, and “Clara,” a multilingual, interactive avatar employed by New Mexico Courts. Both enhance the user experience, especially for self-litigants, and also prove valuable for courts and even law enforcement personnel.
Just as in the 911 community, they represent force multipliers with huge potential for helping court systems address the staffing shortage that plagues so many of them right now.
Returning to the 911 community, the transcription and translation capabilities of AI solutions will reduce the need for telecommunicators to type what they are hearing into the 911 center’s computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system. This will enable telecommunicators to maintain their focus on the caller, reduce typing errors, and overcome language barriers. Additionally, AI can be leveraged to sift through transcriptions in search of keywords that indicate telecommunicator performance or stress-related issues.
Furthermore, the use of AI-driven augmented reality (AR) by public safety agencies is being discussed, although it still is at a very nascent stage. The idea is to “overlay virtual images onto a person's real-world field of vision in a way that enhances the ability to accomplish a wide variety of tasks and assignments,” according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with enhanced situational awareness at the top of the list.
Finally, AI's capabilities in pattern recognition, data analysis, and automation make it a powerful tool for enhancing cybersecurity. On the defensive side, it improves threat detection, system resilience, and incident response. On the offensive side, it enables sophisticated penetration testing and threat intelligence gathering, as well development of advanced methods for preventing cyberattacks.
As mentioned earlier, all of these are exciting use cases. However, what excites me most is the firm knowledge that strategies, tactics, and technologies for the public safety and justice communities will continue to evolve and emerge, and we will be ready to embrace them.
Chris Kelly is MCP’s senior vice president of 911 Services and Operations/Public Safety Applications and Facilities. You can reach him via email at ChrisKelly@MissionCriticalPartners.com.