Halton Regional Police Launch AI System to Handle Non-Emergency Calls

By: Shazia Nazir, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Milton Reporter

The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) has officially launched a new artificial intelligence system designed to streamline non-emergency call handling across the region. Starting today, November 10, 2025, the system—named SARA (Smart Answering Routing Assistant)—will operate 24/7 to assist callers and reduce strain on emergency communications staff.

While all 9-1-1 calls will continue to be handled by trained Communicators, members of the public who dial HRPS’s non-emergency line at 905-825-4777 will now be greeted by SARA, an adaptive voice assistant capable of processing routine inquiries. The system will ask callers a series of short questions to determine whether their concern can be addressed directly or requires transfer to a human Communicator. All interactions will be recorded and transcribed in real time.

SARA is programmed to immediately transfer calls to a Communicator if the situation escalates into an emergency, if the caller requires translation services, if the system cannot understand the caller, or if it detects unusual activity or discrepancies.

“For several months, our Communications Bureau and Information Technology Unit has worked closely with the Hyper team to develop, train, and refine SARA,” said Jeff Hill, Deputy Chief of HRPS. “We’re proud to be adopting such reliable and cutting-edge technology that will help us reduce the number of non-emergency calls our Communicators spend time on—currently about 160,000 per year.”

Hill said the system will improve service delivery by ensuring non-emergency callers receive immediate assistance, while freeing up Communicators to focus on urgent calls that impact public safety.

Ben Sanders, Founder and CEO of Hyper—the public safety technology company behind SARA—praised HRPS for its leadership. “Halton is proving what’s possible when public safety embraces innovation,” said Sanders. “With their new AI agent, residents get faster service, Communicators get more time for emergency calls, and together, we can make the community safer.”

HRPS reminds residents to continue using 9-1-1 for emergencies involving threats to life, serious injury, crimes in progress, or urgent public safety concerns. For non-emergencies such as delayed crime reports, general inquiries, or requests for police information, residents should call 905-825-4777. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

The Halton Regional Police Service is the ninth largest in Ontario, serving more than 672,000 residents in one of the fastest-growing regions in the Greater Toronto Area. Its jurisdiction is projected to reach a population of 897,000 by 2031.

Hyper, the company behind SARA, specializes in AI voice systems for emergency and non-emergency communications. Its platform is designed to reduce wait times, increase efficiency, and ensure urgent calls are prioritized by human responders.