U.S. city to receive its first ‘robot cop’ this summer
In this DML Report…
The United States is rolling out its first humanoid robot police officer, named “Officer Rob,” set to begin patrolling in Los Angeles in July 2025, as announced by the Department of Defense. Developed by Boston Dynamics under a $250 million Pentagon contract, the 5-foot-10, 200-pound robot uses AI to detect suspicious behavior, identify threats, and assist with arrests, equipped with facial recognition, thermal imaging, and non-lethal tools like tasers and pepper spray. The initial deployment includes 10 units, with plans to expand to 50 across five cities—New York, Chicago, Houston, Miami, and LA—by December 2025, following a six-month trial to assess effectiveness.
Officer Rob’s capabilities stem from a decade of military robotics advancements, drawing on Boston Dynamics’ Spot and Atlas models, with a top speed of 8 mph and the ability to navigate stairs and uneven terrain. The robots will partner with human officers, focusing on high-crime areas, and can operate 24/7 with a four-hour battery swapped at charging stations. The DoD cites a 15% drop in violent crime during a 2024 military base pilot as justification, though the ACLU warns of privacy risks from constant surveillance and data collection, noting each unit costs $1.5 million—far more than the average $70,000 annual police salary.
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Public response is split, with LA officials like Mayor Karen Bass backing the tech to address a 12% rise in violent crime from 2023 to 2024, while critics, including UCLA law professor John Villasenor, question its impact on community trust and potential for excessive force. The DoD plans to outfit the robots with real-time crime data integration by 2026, aiming for 500 units nationwide by 2030 if the trial succeeds. Funding comes from a $1.2 billion robotics budget approved in January 2025, with Boston Dynamics beating out competitors like Tesla and Nvidia, signaling a major shift in U.S. law enforcement strategy amid global robotics competition with China.