South Yorkshire Police has introduced artificial intelligence software to manage its 101 emergency line more efficiently by screening incoming calls before they reach human handlers. The system automatically categorises contacts, filtering out unsuitable calls such as requests meant for local councils or NHS services, prank calls, and trivial complaints about unrelated matters like food delivery delays or pub service. According to police, roughly one-fifth of all 101 calls are misdirected to agencies other than the police service.

The initiative is designed to redirect call handlers' time and resources toward genuine crime reports, safeguarding emergencies, and victim support. The Crime and Policing Minister framed the technology as part of modernising police control rooms, arguing that handling misrouted calls diverts officers from actual crime prevention and investigation work. Officials claim the implementation will generate cost savings that forces can reinvest into tackling street-level crime.