One Colorado Police Department Gets a Futuristic K9

We've all seen robotic dogs in either movies or television shows, now, one Colorado police department has a robot dog on the force. This new robotic dog has four legs and an arm that can open doors, lift objects, and is remote-controlled.

The new member of the Denver Police Department is assigned to the Denver Police Metro SWAT and was purchased for approximately $328,000 in grant funding according to the press release from the Denver Police Department.

The device looks like it is straight out of the movie, RoboCop. The yellow head pulls double duty as the arm looks almost like the skull of a dog. The four legs allow the robot to navigate stairs, pick itself up if it falls over, and move easily around debris or other items that devices equipped with wheels or tracks cannot.

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The Denver Police Department is thrilled to have this tool to increase officer safety by utilizing the robot to enter into potentially life-ending situations – protecting the lives of our community and our officers

Said Denver Police Chief, Ron Thomas, in the press release.

How will Denver Police use the new K9 robot?

The new device being utilized by the Denver Police Department is not equipped with weapons and will not be used to deploy the use of lethal or less lethal force. The main goal of the new K9 robot is to allow officers to remain at a safe distance in the following situations:

• Inspect and remove suspicious or explosive items
• Conduct a preliminary search of a building after a search warrant is obtained
• To inspect where there may be potentially hazardous materials

For more information on the new robot that will be used by police in Denver, see the full press release at denver.gov.