A four-legged “robot dog” is now a part of the Los Angeles Police Department after the City Council authorized its acquisition on Tuesday.
The robotic, known as “Spot,” is a quadruped unmanned floor car made via Boston Dynamics, valued at just about $280,000.
Offered as a present to the LAPD’s Metropolitan Division via the Los Angeles Police Foundation in March, Spot will probably be utilized in restricted eventualities reminiscent of incidents involving energetic shooters, evaluation of explosives, hostage eventualities, herbal screw ups, hazardous fabrics analysis, barricaded suspects, and seek and rescue missions.
The robotic is not going to have any weaponry, facial popularity device, or surveillance features. Furthermore, it’s going to now not be accountable for regimen patrol duties or covert surveillance missions.
Some critics have expressed worry that the robotic will probably be misused to track and goal other people dwelling in deficient communities of colour.
LAPD’s acquisition of Spot follows equivalent strikes from different regulation enforcement businesses, together with the New York Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, the St. Petersburg Police Department in Florida, and others.
Training and trying out protocols will probably be initiated prior to LAPD begins to use the robotic within the following months, in accordance to officers.
“I am appreciative of the approval today by the majority of the City Council in accepting the donation of the Los Angeles Police Foundation in acquiring this state-of-the-art mechanical robot,” stated LAPD Chief Michael Moore. “This technology will allow us to better protect our officers and the community allowing us to use modern technology to de-escalate dangerous situations.”