09/30/2026
****Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office Deploys Aurelian’s AVA to Answer Non-Emergency Calls****
The Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office consolidated Communications Center has implemented a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform from Aurelian, Ava, to help manage non-emergency calls for service. Ava is now actively assisting with routine and non-urgent calls, allowing dispatchers to focus on emergency communications and radio traffic.
The most important thing for callers to understand is that AVA should not be used like a phone tree. Ava holds a natural conversation with callers. Tell Ava exactly what you are calling about. Do not press “0” or say “dispatch” or “jail”. If you want to file a complaint, describe the issue. If you want to post bond for someone in our jail, say that directly. Clear descriptions help Ava route callers to the correct division or person as quickly as possible.
“This change will not impact staffing levels or reduce the quality-of-service residents and public safety agencies rely on,” said Sheriff Knowles. “This is about creating more capacity in our system to better serve the community, especially during periods of high call volume.”
The Ozaukee County Communications Center is a fully consolidated dispatch center, providing services for all seven police departments, the Sheriff’s Office and seven fire departments in Ozaukee County. In 2025, the center handled 113,538 non emergency calls and 17,612 911 calls, highlighting the importance of tools that support workload management without compromising service. This year, 911 calls are up 17% from 2025.
Ava is designed to handle routine or non urgent calls, reducing demand on dispatchers while ensuring callers receive timely assistance. If Ava determines that a call meets criteria for an emergency, it will automatically transfer the caller to 911. The system has undergone extensive training and is proficient in Spanish.
No jobs are being eliminated because of this implementation. Instead, Ava is expected to help alleviate staffing pressures and improve overall system efficiency.
“Many callers may not even realize they’re speaking with an AI system,” Sheriff Knowles added. “The most important takeaway is that this technology allows our dispatchers to focus on what they do best; managing 911 emergencies.”
