Other — El Cajon, CA — reported 2026-07-02

SUMMARY

The El Cajon Police Department has started using an artificial intelligence system to screen and respond to non-emergency calls.

KEY FACTS

  • Incident type: Other
  • Location: El Cajon, CA
  • Date reported: 2026-07-02
  • Suspect: not stated

REPORTED DETAILS

  • The El Cajon Police Department receives approximately 180,000 calls a year, with 100,000 classified as non-emergencies.
  • The AI system, known as Ava, is used to screen and respond to non-emergency calls, freeing up dispatchers to focus on emergency calls.
  • Ava can automatically translate in Spanish and Arabic.
  • The police department has a one-year contract with Aurelian for $74,000 to use the AI system.