NYPD unveils three new high-tech ROBOTS to fight crime in New York City

New Yorkers are furious after the NYPD and the mayor announced a new fleet of “Big Brother” robocops that will patrol the city’s streets and subways.

Tuesday’s announcement took place in Times Square, where three robots made their debut – one stopped by the previous administration after it was deemed “racist.”

The reintroduced robotic police dog will help officers navigate dangerous situations, and the city is testing two for $750,000.

And the K5 Autonomous Security Robot and StarChase GPS System will monitor people and vehicles – these costs are unclear.

Mayor Eric Adams led his campaign with a pledge to reduce crime in New York City and believes the robot recruits will be used to save lives and deter atrocities in the Big Apple.

However, New Yorkers are not on the same wavelength as the mayor when it comes to unleashing robocops in the concrete jungle.

One resident shared his frustration with the new recruits on Twitter: “We want fully funded libraries and schools, not expensive toys for the NYPD.”

While other residents said the robots are “dystopian surveillance technologies.”

The New York City Police Department has released its annual survey of crime over the past year — revealing numbers were higher in virtually every category, despite recent claims by the mayor.

The statistics paint a bleak picture of the city’s efforts to tackle crime that has surged since the pandemic – despite Adams repeatedly claiming that his campaign to solve the problem was successful.

Opening the event, Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell stressed that to protect the modern city, officers must be “equipped with the tools, training and technology necessary to do that job safely and effectively,” she said.

First to hit the streets is the K5 autonomous security robot with artificial intelligence to provide real-time incident alerts to first responders.

The egg-shaped machine, made by Knightscope, is equipped with microphones, a camera, and sonar and lidar sensors.

And the robot uses self-propelled technology like the Robotic Vacuum Cleaner Roomba.

It stands about 5.5 feet tall and weighs 400 pounds, with a maximum speed of three miles per hour.

NYPD division chief Jeffrey Maddrey said at the news conference, “The K5 has been used by law enforcement agencies, including the Huntington Park Police Department, college campuses across this country, businesses, shopping malls and other places where security was needed. and additional deterrents were needed.”

The K5 is on a trial lease to the NYPD, expected to start in June or July, and will roam around Times Square or subway stations.

The StarChase GPS tracking comes in two forms: handheld and vehicle-mounted devices.

It fires a projectile at the vehicle, allowing police to track it via GPS.

Chief John Chell said, “Saturday night we deployed it with some trained officers.

“There was a stolen car in Queens. The car was tracked into the Bronx. One of our Bronx units had this device. They used this device.

“The car stopped, we arrested, we took a stolen car off the street. And just as importantly, we kept our officers safe, softened the pursuit, and kept the community safe.”

The device, which has been used in malls and other locations for several years, will initially be accompanied by a human partner, police said.

The last robocop was a yellow four-legged machine trotting down the street.

Adams said the 70-pound remote-controlled Digidog will be deployed starting this summer in high-risk situations such as hostage situations.

He also said he will not bow to pressure from anti-robot dogs.

“It was something that was introduced earlier under the previous administration. And some loud people were against it, and we took a step back,” he said.

‘I don’t work like that. I operate by looking at what’s best for the city.’

Adams explained that the two robots would be used in hostage situations and other dangerous environments.

It is also capable of two-way communication. For example, if an officer needs to talk to a suspect, he can do so without being in danger.

However, the robot dog was canceled in 2021 after being convicted of targeting “low-income communities of color” with the dystopian four-legged surveillance machine.

Progressive Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called it a “robotic drone for ground surveillance.”

“Shout out to everyone who fought community advocates demanding that these funds instead go to investments like school counseling,” Ocacio-Cortez tweeted on Feb. 25, 2021.

“Now ground drones for robotic surveillance are being deployed for testing on low-income communities of color and under-resourced schools.”

The $94,000 contract was due to expire in August, but was terminated on April 22.

The robot dog was compared to an episode of the British dystopian show Black Mirror, which the show’s creator says was inspired by similar robots from Boston Dynamics.

At the event, a reporter asked Adams how he plans to “calm down people’s mistrust of the device and assure that because it’s transparent, it will be used.”

“Well, first this is New York, 8.5 million people, 35 million opinions. So whatever you do, there will be pros and cons,” the mayor replied.

We do what others didn’t do. We’ll put it here in Times Square.”

“We let people come in and watch Digidog and K5 and others. And we’re going to bring in community leaders and say, ‘This is the technology we have. Would you like this in your community?’

Adam’s promise of security has gone unfulfilled among New Yorkers who view crime-fighting technology as surveillance tools.

“Mayor Adams continues to pour money into the NYPD’s bloated budget, allowing police to impose new, dystopian surveillance technologies across the city without meaningfully engaging New Yorkers in a conversation about whether this is how we want to live,” Legal said. Aid Society, a non-profit based in New York City.

In addition to the potential use of espionage, New Yorkers are also in an uproar over the cost of the robots.

“Eric Adams just spent $750,000 on 2 new NYPD robot dogs – while forcing other agencies to cut 4% of budgets (on top of 3% a few months ago), contributing to food insecurity, eviction crises etc,” shared a Twitter user.

Civic libertarians and police reform advocates also question the need for high-tech devices.

Ileana Mendez-Penate, Program Director for Communities United for Police Reform, said, “This latest announcement is just the most recent example of Mayor Adams allowing an outright overrun of the NYPD’s massively inflated budget.

“The NYPD is buying robot dogs and other fancy technology, while New Yorkers are denied access to food stamps because city bureaus are understaffed, and New Yorkers are being evicted for not accessing their right to counsel.”