Merseyside Police has introduced an AI chatbot named Bobbi to answer questions from the public. The force is the first in the North West to use the technology. Bobbi deals with non-emergency questions. The goal is to reduce demand on call handlers. The system went live this week.

Bobbi is designed to take on routine public inquiries. Merseyside Police said the chatbot will help handle non-urgent requests. This allows call handlers to concentrate on higher-priority incidents. The force said Bobbi has gone live for members of the public. The chatbot represents the first such tool in the region.