The Denver Police Department’s new dog can walk, climb stairs, and, perhaps most importantly, take a bullet without feeling a thing.
The department’s new remote-controlled robot dog, Spot, was unveiled Wednesday. It has four legs and one arm that can open doors and lift objects. It also features cameras and sensors to avoid collisions.
DPD officers held a demonstration of the robot at their downtown crime laboratory. DPD Commander of Special Operations Mike O’Donnell said Spot allows the bomb squad to deal with suspicious devices and potentially dangerous explosives.
“In certain situations we'll use it in tactical settings to go in,” O’Donnell said. “After a search warrant is obtained to clear different residences, it has two-way communication that enables us to talk to someone who might be in there because our resolution is always to save lives, to resolve those incidents peacefully and calmly.”
Most of the team's operators and pilots have been trained on the basics of the robot. They are expected to go through advanced training.
A $328,000 grant funded by the Urban Area Security Initiative (USAI) and North Central All-Hazards Region (NCR) of Colorado was used to purchase the robot. It is the first of its kind in Colorado. The Denver Police Department has other robots for bomb situations. But Spot is capable of navigating stairs. O’Donnell made it clear that the robot is not a weapon.
“It will not have weapons on it in any capacity, whether lethal or less lethal,” O’Donnell said. “So, it is strictly to gather a suspicious device, bring it back to the bomb detectives to render it safe. But we do want the public to see it and recognize how beneficial it is to everybody.”
The robot won’t only be used to inspect and remove suspicious items. Police are also considering using it to hopefully de-escalate situations with barricaded gunmen.
“Our mission is to save lives, to end those situations peacefully, and if this robot is able to go in and establish a dialogue with a negotiator to the suspect, if they have them surrender peacefully, that's a win every day,” O’Donnell said.
Even though Spot is the current working name for the robot, DPD is partnering with Doull Elementary School to give it another name. The public can get a firsthand look at Spot during this weekend’s Parade of Lights. DPD will use it as part of its safety plan along the parade route.
The robot was made by Boston Dynamics.
