Massachusetts State Police has become the first law enforcement agency to use Boston Dynamics’s robot dog “Spot.”
“Robot technology is a valuable tool for law enforcement because of its ability to provide situational awareness of potentially dangerous environments,” police spokesman David Procopio said in a statement.
State police said Spot has been used in two separate incidents, apart from testing.
Though Spot is a “general purpose” robot, Perry said he envisions it having multiple uses in a variety of industries, adding that the robot is not meant to be used in a way that could “physically harm or intimidate people.”
“Right now, our primary interest is sending the robot into situations where you want to collect information in an environment where it’s too dangerous to send a person, but not actually physically interacting with the space,” said Boston Dynamics vice president for business development Michael Perry, reported the radio station.
Although robots have been used to assist police for a long time, civil rights advocates are casting doubts on their usage, and question about how much the new technology should be overseen, with some calling the robots “terrifying.”
“We need to have a robust public debate so we can set the protections and the boundaries where we can ensure that technology is used to enhance liberty and not to take it away,” she added.
Boston Dynamics says it is being selective with which companies can lease Spot, and are opting for a lease program that allows the company to take back the equipment if the lease is violated.
