Transforming Non-Emergency Call Handling in Kalamazoo County

Overview

Kalamazoo County Consolidated Dispatch Authority (KCCDA) manages all 911 and non-emergency dispatch operations for the county’s police, fire, and EMS agencies. Since its consolidation in 2018, KCCDA faced a persistent challenge: An overwhelming volume of non-emergency calls (averaging 130,000 annually) that consumed call-taker bandwidth and diverted focus from life-critical 911 calls.

In December 2024, KCCDA implemented Aurelian’s AI-powered non-emergency call handling system (“Ava”). Within days, the change was unmistakable. Phones stopped ringing off the hook, call-takers could focus on emergencies, and the center saw measurable efficiency gains.

The Challenge

Before Aurelian, every non-emergency call was answered live by dispatchers or call-takers. This created three major issues:

1. Constant Disruption – The nonstop phone ringing created a stressful work environment and reduced focus on true emergencies.
2. Resource Strain – Highly trained telecommunicators spent time on administrative or low-priority calls.
3. Workflow Bottlenecks – Certain call types, like frequent-caller interactions, vehicle tow checks, and officer messages, tied up staff for extended periods without requiring dispatch intervention.

KCCDA leadership had long been searching for a scalable, AI-driven solution to reduce non-emergency call volume without sacrificing service quality.

Why Aurelian

The journey began when a frontline dispatcher attended APCO’s national conference and saw Aurelian’s technology in action. Recognizing its potential, they brought it to leadership’s attention.

“When one of your frontline staff brings you something and says it could significantly impact workload, you listen.”
– Jeff Troyer, Executive Director, KCCDA

KCCDA reviewed multiple vendors and found that no other system could process non-emergency calls as effectively as Aurelian. Leadership valued Aurelian’s adaptability, responsiveness, and ability to customize workflows to match Kalamazoo’s unique operational needs.

Implementation

The timeline was fast:

• August 2024 – First conversation and demo booked within a week of the APCO conference.
• October 2024 – Kickoff.
• December 2024 – Go-live, just before Christmas.
  

Despite a short delay from a third-party phone line configuration, the project moved from introduction to deployment in under five months – well ahead of most public safety technology rollouts.

KCCDA took a phased approach, starting with lower “resistance levels” (how many times the system re-engages a caller before transferring to dispatch) and expanding call types over time.

Results After 7 Months

1. Significant Reduction in Ring Volume

“The phone used to ring off the hook, now it no longer does. It’s more of a peaceful lull.”
– Torie Rose, Deputy Director, KCCDA

2. Improved Staff Focus & Morale

• Call-takers spend more time on 911 calls and training.
• Staff quickly embraced the system. During testing, they asked for Ava to be turned back on after just hours of use.
  

3. 60% Automated Call Handling Rate

• At resistance level 4/10, Ava fully processes 60% of calls sent to it.
• KCCDA anticipates pushing this higher through scope expansion and routing optimization.
  

4. Workflow Innovations – KCCDA and Aurelian co-developed new automated processes:

• Tow Company Vehicle Checks & Releases – Replaced manual calls with an online form, giving both tow operators and dispatch staff a clear audit trail.
• Officer Messaging – Redirected off-duty officer messages from CAD into department email inboxes, ensuring timely follow-up.
  

5. Public Acceptance

• Initial pushback faded within weeks.
• Occasional positive feedback from residents praising Ava’s convenience.
• No complaints reported in the last three months.
  

Keys to Success

• Frontline-Driven Adoption – Originated from a dispatcher’s recommendation, fostering early buy-in.
• Change Management Excellence – Leadership clearly communicated purpose, benefits, and process changes to staff.
• Iterative Approach – Adjusted routing, resistance levels, and features based on real-time feedback.
• Vendor Responsiveness – We stayed closely engaged during and after rollout, turning around workflow changes or new features within a day. That agility gave KCCDA confidence the system would keep pace with evolving needs.

“If we ask for a change, it’s often done within 24 hours. That level of responsiveness is rare.”
– Jeff Troyer

Advice for Other Agencies

• Visit Live Sites – See the system in operation and learn how different centers adapt it to their workflows.
• Involve Your Staff – Include call-takers and dispatchers in the evaluation process.
• Plan for Iteration – Expect to tweak routes, call types, and configurations over time.
• Communicate with the Public – Use PR strategically to set expectations and reduce confusion.
  

Impact

KCCDA now routes over 130,000 non-emergency calls annually through Ava, freeing dispatchers to focus on urgent matters, reducing stress, and modernizing citizen service without adding headcount.

“As administrators, our job is to make our staff’s jobs easier and Aurelian does exactly that.”
– Torie Rose, Deputy Director, KCCDA