Police services across North America are experiencing increasing demand on their non-emergency phone lines. Calls related to minor property damage, lost property, and general inquiries often account for a significant portion of a dispatcher’s workload. While these calls are important, they frequently compete with higher-priority operational duties that require immediate human attention. As call volumes continue to rise, police services are exploring new technologies to improve accessibility, efficiency, and response times for the public.
The Cobourg Police Service, in partnership with Owen Sound Emergency Communications Centre and Hyper AI, is pleased to introduce its new AI answering assistant, CARA – Community Assistance and Response Agent.
CARA is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system designed to support the management of non-emergency communications, general inquiries, and basic report intake. CARA will assist dispatchers by helping process general inquiries and non-emergency calls for service, allowing communications staff to focus more effectively on urgent and complex situations.
By integrating an AI-based answering assistant into the non-emergency phone system, the Communications Centre can provide callers with immediate engagement, structured information gathering, and intelligent call routing. CARA will greet callers, identify the nature of their request, collect preliminary details, and either provide relevant information or transfer the call to the appropriate human operator when necessary.
“The introduction of CARA is an important step forward in how we support the communities we serve”, said Chief Ambrose, Chief of the Owen Sound Police Service. “Our dispatchers handle a significant volume of calls every day for multiple communities across Ontario. By introducing AI technology to assist with non-emergency inquiries, we can ensure our dispatchers remain focused on urgent situations while still providing prompt and efficient service to the public”.
By leveraging technology responsibly and transparency, the Owen Sound Emergency Communications Centre aims to improve service delivery, reduce operational strain, and better serve the needs of the communities it supports.
Connect with Cobourg Police Service
You can connect with Cobourg Police Service online, by phone, and in person.
Online Reporting and Bicycle Registry
Report non-emergency crimes such as theft, traffic complaints, damage to property, damage to a vehicle and lost property online. Learn more or file a report at cobourgpoliceservice.com/online-reporting/.
Services are available online at cobourgpoliceservice.com, including:
Criminal Record Check applications
Freedom of Information requests
Motor Vehicle Collision Report requests
Online reporting of non-emergency crimes
Bicycle registration
Front Counter Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: Closed
For non-emergency inquiries by phone, call 905-372-6821.
In an emergency, call 9-1-1.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
