The New York City Police Department (NYPD) robot, which leaders hoped would usher in the future of law enforcement, is no longer on patrol.
The Knightscope K5 Security Robot began its trial run in 2023, and its beat was the Times Square subway station, NBC New York reported Friday.
However, a police spokesperson recently told the outlet the 420-pound robot “has completed its pilot deployment in the NYC subway system.”
The robot has now reportedly been tucked away among some cardboard boxes in a vacant storefront. According to Fox 5, subway riders are still confused about its purpose. “It’s a joke; it’s a Roomba. I’m unclear what its purpose was,” one man told the outlet.
In September, Mayor Eric Adams (D) said deploying the robot would save the city money because officials were paying less an hour than its minimum wage to lease the contraption, according to Breitbart News:
“The population of men and women in law enforcement — in criminal justice — those numbers are decreasing,” Mayor Adams said in a Friday morning press briefing, announcing the deployment of the robot. “What we must do is look at existing technology and see — how do we continue to be innovative.”
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“Properly using technology saves money,” Adams continued. “Being able to view from the ground or in the air really allows the proper deployment deployment of manpower and police resources.”
Video footage shows the robot toddling along the pavement, per NBC New York. The outlet noted the robot features a button to press to call for help:
The robot initially gave people pause due to privacy concerns. “I mean, it’s scary, but I guess it’s expected,” one man told the outlet. However, the NBC report said the robot did not record audio or use facial recognition technology.
It is important to note that in April, when the New York Fire Department’s (FDNY) robot dog was sent to survey a collapsed parking garage, it fell over while on the job, Breitbart News reported.
“Last year, the FDNY became the first fire agency in the United States to purchase Spot robodogs from the robotics company Boston Dynamics, which cost a staggering $75,000 each, according to multiple reports,” the outlet said.