How automation is helping emergency services do more with less

With emergency services under increasing pressure to deliver more with fewer resources, automation and artificial intelligence are becoming key tools for improving efficiency and reducing administrative burden.

Ahead of The Emergency Tech Show, Emergency Services Times spoke to Ryan Bartlett, Public Sector Account Executive at UiPath, about how automation is already delivering measurable benefits across policing and where AI can make the biggest difference for the wider blue light community.

Where can automation make the biggest difference for emergency services?

As a former police officer, I’ve seen first-hand how difficult it is to provide a good service when demand outstrips resources. Automation is already helping emergency services do more by increasing efficiency and freeing officers and staff to focus on higher-value activities.

It helps organisations cope with financial pressures and shrinking resources while managing increasing demand and workloads. Ultimately, automation enables people to spend less time on repetitive administrative tasks and more time delivering services to the public.

How can emergency services adopt AI responsibly?

The public sector should embrace the opportunities AI provides, but it should do so by working with trusted suppliers that have a proven track record of delivering value.

Working with established providers that take trust and security seriously is one of the best ways to adopt AI safely while benefiting from the efficiencies it can deliver. By taking a practical approach and building on trusted partnerships, organisations can introduce AI without adding unnecessary complexity.

Why is connecting existing systems just as important as adopting new AI tools?

There are many new AI applications being promoted, but most public sector organisations already have a wealth of data and technology that meets their needs. The key is finding AI solutions that integrate with those existing applications and orchestrate the flow of data and information between them.

That’s exactly what UiPath has built its platform to do through automation, AI agents and orchestration. This approach removes the need for expensive system replacements and helps organisations adopt AI in a practical and sustainable way.

What impact is automation already having in policing?

We’re working with some of the UK’s largest police forces, all of which are seeing significant benefits from automation.

West Midlands Police, for example, has been using UiPath for several years and has introduced multiple automation use cases across frontline policing and enabling functions. The force has already saved millions of pounds through automation and is on track to save around 270,000 hours this year, equating to approximately £8m in cost avoidance.

That’s an incredible achievement, particularly against the backdrop of the financial pressures and increasing demand that policing continues to face.

What conversations are you hoping to have at The Emergency Tech Show?

I’m looking forward to hearing how organisations are approaching AI, automation and orchestration, understanding the challenges they’re currently facing and exploring how UiPath can help.

We have a wealth of successful use cases from emergency services and across the wider public sector, and I’m keen to share those experiences to demonstrate how automation can deliver real operational value.

What should emergency services focus on over the next few years?

I believe emergency services should embrace the opportunities AI provides while continuing to work with trusted and experienced technology partners.

Automation will continue to reduce the administrative burden on staff, AI agents will increasingly act as assistants to help officers and staff do their jobs even more effectively, and orchestration will connect systems in ways that weren’t previously possible.

Ultimately, these technologies will free people to focus their expertise where it’s needed most, allowing them to deliver an even better service to the public. That’s what officers and staff joined the emergency services to do in the first place.

Visitors can meet the UiPath team at the Microsoft Partner Pavilion throughout The Emergency Tech Show on 16-17 September at the NEC, Birmingham. Register for your free ticket here.