Hillsborough County’s 911 dispatch will begin using AI to improve emergency response, enable photo and media sharing, and support language translation.
TAMPA, Fla. — When you call 911 in Hillsborough County, dispatchers will now be able to use AI to help you share video and photos and provide translation support during an emergency.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday that its 911 dispatch center will roll out Prepared, an AI-enhanced platform that aims to improve call-taking efficiency, dispatcher awareness, and overall response coordination.
“Prepared strengthens the connection between our community and the deputies responding to help,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said. “That real-time visibility helps them make informed decisions in critical moments, improving outcomes for those in need while adding an important layer of safety for our deputies as they arrive on scene.”
HCSO says the new platform will ask 911 callers for permission to securely share live video or photos with dispatchers, which allows them to be reviewed and documented in real time and shared with deputies responding to the scene. It also instantly transcribes the call and adds an AI-generated summary.
Prepared also enables a one-to-one text messaging feature with callers, using pre-approved messages, including links to reporting tools, resources during natural disasters and photo requests to support during an active investigation. HCSO says media shared can be used as evidence following established public records procedures.
HCSO adds that Prepared also expands language access through automatic language detection as well as an AI-assisted Spanish translation feature.
“When someone calls 911, they are often experiencing one of the worst moments of their life. Our responsibility is to meet that moment with clarity, speed, and precision,” Chronister said. “The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office is committed to evolving with the times, and emerging technology is a critical part of how we continue to serve our community.”
In late February, HCSO implemented Axon Draft One, an AI tool, to help deputies draft reports and help them focus more on policing and less on paperwork.
Earlier this year, the Tampa Police Department rolled out a similar tool, allowing a dispatcher to text a caller asking them for permission to use their cellphone camera to see the situation in real time.