New AI platform for Phoenix police non-emergency calls was used in Portland, then discontinued

The Phoenix Police Department is rolling out a new AI-powered call triage system for its non-emergency line. But another major city used the same system and discontinued its use.

The Department is now using CallTriage, a virtual assistant by Canadian firm Versaterm, to handle Crime Stop calls.

An earlier iteration of the tool was used by Portland’s Bureau of Emergency Communications, which saw a 35% drop in call volume before discontinuing it due to hardware issues.

Phoenix officials say they were aware of Portland’s experience and were told the delay was due to that department’s outdated phone lines — an issue Phoenix addressed with its new phone system — and that no problems occurred during testing.

In a statement to KJZZ, Versaterm said it has conducted extensive testing and product enhancements to ensure agencies can provide the best possible experience.

"We have conducted extensive testing, verification, and certification, along with product enhancements, to ensure agencies can provide the communities they serve with the best possible experience. This approach is designed to help ensure smooth performance from launch and timely, accurate routing of calls to the appropriate resource." the statement said.