Police dogs are normal and have served alongside officers for a long time already. So are robots in helping with dangerous tasks like in bomb situations. However, a police robot dog, now that’s something new! A task force in the United States has been testing one out this year – and civil liberties experts are concerned.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Massachusetts obtained a document that states how the Massachusetts State Police leased Spot from Boston Dynamics for 90 days. The lease terminated on November 5, 2019.
When the ACLU found out, it filed a public records request for any documents relating to the agency’s use of Spot. That was in August. They also requested any records connected to its plans and acquisitions regarding the use of robotics dating back to 2015.
That’s how the organization obtained the document about the lease of Spot, which notes that the Massachusetts State Police’s Bomb Squad would be in possession of the robot dogs the entire time. They were testing and evaluating Spots “capabilities in law enforcement actions, particularly remote inspection of potentially dangerous environments.”
Along with receiving the document, a police spokesman, David Procopio, explained that they were using Spot in the same way police used other robots – as a “mobile remote observation device.” He said:
Robot technology is a valuable tool for law enforcement because of its ability to provide situational awareness of potentially dangerous environments.
Meanwhile, Michael Perry, Boston Dynamics’ Vice President of Business Development, further assured the ACLU that there was no chance of the police using Spot as a weapon because:
Part of our early evaluation process with customers is making sure that we’re on the same page for the usage of the robot. So up front, we’re very clear with our customers that we don’t want the robot being used in a way that can physically harm somebody.
Right now, we’re at a scale where we can pick and choose the partners we engage with and make sure that they have a similar deployment and a vision for how robots are used. For example, not using robots in a way that would physically harm or intimidate people. But also have a realistic expectation for what a robot can and cannot do.
Kade Crockford, ACLU Massachusetts’ Technology for Liberty Program Director, expanded on the reasons for having requested further information in a statement provided to TechCrunch:
There is a lot we do not know about how and where these robotics systems are currently deployed in Massachusetts. All too often, the deployment of these technologies happens faster than our social, political, or legal systems react. We urgently need more transparency from government agencies, who should be upfront with the public about their plans to test and deploy new technologies. We also need statewide regulations to protect civil liberties, civil rights, and racial justice in the age of artificial intelligence. Massachusetts must do more to ensure safeguards keep pace with technological innovation, and the ACLU is happy to partner with officials at the local and state levels to find and implement solutions to ensure our law keeps pace with technology.
Ultimately, the Massachusetts State Police were only seeing if the robot could potentially be used to help get human officers out of harm’s way in complicated circumstances, such as during a terrorist or hostage situation. Of course, it was also understandable that the ACLU questions the activities involving new technology. Although, Spot is merely taking on a first responder role, not one of law enforcement. The Bomb Squad just wanted to see if Spot could be an upgrade to whatever robots they currently use.
