The Fairfax County Police Department’s Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC) has introduced new artificial intelligence technology to enhance emergency response by identifying critical information from 911 calls in real time.
The effort is being carried out in collaboration with the Department of Public Safety and Communications and the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, the police department announced.
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Fire department personnel were also assigned to the RTCC as part of a long-term pilot program, further strengthening coordination between police, fire, and emergency communications.
The AI technology continuously transcribes 911 calls as they occur and is trained using Fairfax County dispatch protocols and response procedures. This allows the system to recognize incidents of interest and immediately notify RTCC personnel, allowing drones to be deployed as first responders while dispatchers continue to gather information.
“The Real-Time Crime Center continues to transform the way we respond to emergencies by leveraging innovative technology to assist police officers, firefighters and dispatchers,” said Police Chief Kevin Davis. “By using AI to identify critical information from 911 calls in real time, we can deploy resources faster, improve situational awareness, and provide responders with the information they need to make better decisions.”
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By launching drones early in a response, police officers and firefighters can receive real-time aerial information before they arrive on scene, improving situational awareness and supporting faster, more informed decision-making. If desired, the technology also allows callers to voluntarily share live video, photos, and location information through a secure link to provide additional information to emergency responders.
“The RTCC expansion is innovation in action,” said Fire Chief John Butler. “By collaborating with law enforcement and communications partners, the FCFRD will have more accurate information, which will lead to faster dispatch of necessary resources and allow staff to arrive at the scene with a clearer understanding of what awaits them.”
This technology, including Axon’s Prepared platform, is designed to assist, not replace, 911 experts. The dispatcher remains responsible for evaluating the information and making the dispatch decision.
