City of El Cajon, CA
06/30/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/30/2026 18:01
El Cajon Police Department Deploys AI System to Handle Non-Emergency Calls
El Cajon Police Department Deploys AI System to Handle Non-Emergency Calls
New technology eliminates hold times for residents and lets dispatchers focus on 911
Post Date:06/30/2026 5:00 PM
EL CAJON, Calif. - The El Cajon Police Department today announced the deployment of Ava, an AI-powered call-taking system for its non-emergency and business lines, effective July 1, 2026. The system answers calls immediately, with no hold times, and routes them appropriately so dispatchers can stay focused on emergency calls.
Dispatchers are trained for emergencies. Every minute they spend on a non-emergency call is a minute their attention is divided. Ava handles the routine intake on our non-emergency line so dispatchers can do what they are trained to do. When a 911 call comes in, dispatchers can be fully focused on that call.
"When someone calls our non-emergency line, they should get through right away. Whether they speak English, Spanish or Arabic, they will get help in their preferred language. This system will improve the caller experience and will help our employees be more efficient in the process."
- Chief Jeremiah Larson, El Cajon Police Department
For residents, the change is straightforward. Calls to the non-emergency line are answered immediately. Ava gathers the necessary information, creates a call record, and routes the call appropriately. Callers who need to speak with a live dispatcher are transferred without delay.
The system also provides built-in multilingual support. Residents can be served in a variety of languages, including English, Spanish, and Arabic, without having to wait for a translator or navigate multiple steps. For a city with the diversity of El Cajon, that capability matters.
Ava is not a 911 replacement. Emergency calls continue to go directly to trained dispatchers. The system handles non-emergency intake only, and it escalates any call that requires a human response without hesitation. Dispatchers remain in control.
The system is provided by Aurelian, a public safety AI company whose platform is purpose-built for public safety communications centers.
About the El Cajon Police Department
The El Cajon Police Department serves a community of approximately 100,000 residents in East San Diego County. The department provides full-service law enforcement to the City of El Cajon, including patrol, investigations, traffic enforcement, and emergency communications.
About Aurelian
Aurelian is a conversational AI platform built for public safety communications centers. Its products include Ava, an AI call-taker for non-emergency and agency business lines, and Cora, an AI copilot for live 911 call-takers. For more information, visit aurelian.com/about
City of El Cajon, CA published this content on June 30, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 01, 2026 at 00:01 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]