LAPD's 'Robot Dog' Draws Concerns About Policing In Hollywood

LOS ANGELES, CA — A divisive plan by the Los Angeles Police Department to use a "robot dog" as part of its operations has drawn concerns about over policing in Hollywood.

The City Council on Tuesday voted 8-4 to approve the donation of a quadruped unmanned ground vehicle to the LAPD. Produced by Boston Dynamics, these types of devices are better known as "robot dogs" that periodically appear in viral videos.

LAPD representatives told the City Council that the device will be used only in restricted circumstances: incidents involving "an active shooter, explosive device, hostage, natural disaster, hazardous material, barricaded suspect or search and rescue," Chief Michael Moore wrote in a letter.

Many residents at Tuesday's meeting rallied against the city accepting the robot, raising concerns that the new technology would only be used to further criminalize Black and Latino communities.

Hollywood Councilman Hugo Soto-Martínez had a tense exchange with Boston Dynamics VP Brendan Schulman and LAPD Deputy Chief David Kowlaski, where the councilman asked for details about the department's use of unarmed technology. An LAPD report showed such technology was deployed 39 times across the city last year.

"Obviously, one of the concerns expressed in the last council meeting was whether technology used by us was disproportionately being utilized in some neighborhoods of Los Angeles," Kowlaski said. "A review of those deployments on both the sUAS (small unmanned aerial systems) as well as the (ground-based) robotics, we found no specific trends or patterns related to those deployments."

Soto-Martinez refuted that it "just isn't true," as LAPD unarmed devices were deployed more often in Hollywood and South Central compared to some of LA's more affluent neighborhoods and communities.

LAPD representatives insist that the robot will never be equipped with weapons or facial-recognition technology, nor will be be used for patrolling.

Still, Soto-Martínez remained concerned. He said the donation represents an "expansion of the current boundaries around policing and surveillance."

He raised issues about the Boston Dynamics VP's inability to provide information about police contracts in other cities.

Councilman John Lee highlighted the possible benefits the robot will bring to the LAPD. It can open doors and access areas that aerial drones cannot, offering a valuable tool for standoff situations.

"This has the ability to save lives," Lee said.

The council's action on Tuesday will require the LAPD to provide quarterly reports about how the device is used, the outcomes of any deployment and any issues that arise therein.

Additionally, the council will "closely monitor" use of the device and may modify the deployment policy or suspect the use of the robot at any time.

The robot was offered as a donation to LAPD's Metropolitan Division by the Los Angeles Police Foundation.

Just after the council took its vote, one person was suspected of vandalizing the walls just outside of the Council Chamber, according to LAPD officers. The suspect tagged the walls with the words "evil" and "sold your souls," most likely in response to the council's vote on the LAPD robot.

Officers said they briefly chased the suspect outside City Hall, but no arrest was made.

City News Service contributed to this report.