11/27/2025
On Monday, December 1st, the Lyon County Emergency Communications Center will begin piloting a new tool designed to support non-emergency services across our entire county. Our AI Agent, “Betty,” will begin answering a select group of non-emergency call types for Emporia, Lyon County, and Emporia State University. This pilot is made possible through our partnership with Hyper, a leader in AIsupported public safety technology.
Betty will handle nearly 10 categories of basic, low-risk non-emergency calls, such as simple information requests or reports that do not require emergent assistance. When a caller provides details to Betty, the information is instantly transmitted to LCECC, where communications staff will continue processing and assigning the appropriate response.
Importantly, if during a call the situation escalates or the caller describes anything that could indicate an emergency, Betty will immediately transfer the call to a trained 9-1-1 professional. Emergency calls will always be handled by human LCECC personnel—this system is strictly for routine, non-emergency needs.
This pilot program will run for four months, allowing LCECC to evaluate the impact on call volume, dispatcher workload, and overall service across the county. The goal is to reduce the strain of routine, time-consuming calls that often pull 9-1-1 professionals away from emergency-critical work. By shifting these simple requests to Betty, LCECC aims to create more capacity for emergency response, improve workload balance, and lessen burnout for our already stretched workforce.
LCECC continues to experience significant staffing challenges, and this initiative represents a proactive way to maintain high service levels while supporting the health and sustainability of the team.
Members of the public using the system are encouraged to speak clearly and naturally. Betty can also detect when a caller is speaking Spanish and will automatically transition into Spanish to support callers across the county who prefer or require Spanish-language assistance.
LCECC remains committed to exploring innovative solutions that maintain high-quality service, support our staff, and meet the evolving needs of everyone across our county.
