New York City‘s busiest subway station has a new crew member — an almost 400-pound robocop unveiled by NYC Mayor Eric Adams.
‘We’re committed to exploring innovative tools to continue to make this city the safest big city in America, and this robot K5, it has the potential to serve as an important tool in our toolbox,’ Adams said Friday as he unveiled the machine.
The robot, a product of California-based autonomous security robots developer Knightscope, has four cameras it can use to shoot video and moves at 3mph.
It will roam the Times Square — 42 street subway station alongside a human officer for two weeks as part of a test run from city hall. After that, it is expected to patrol the mezzanine level of the station for two months.
Crime has risen in virtually every category in New York City compared to last year, statistics show, despite Adams repeatedly claiming his campaign to resolve the issue has been successful.
The robot, a product of autonomous security robots developer Knightscope, has four cameras it can use to record video without sound and moves at 3 mph (Pictured today at Times Square subway station)
New York City mayor Eric Adams is pictured above with his new Robocop introducing the machine at Times Square subway station
The machine — called K5 — will roam around the subway station for two weeks alongside a human officer from midnight to 6am
At an average of $9 an hour, Adams said the robot costs ‘below minimum wage’.
The robot — known as K5 — will roam the Times Square subway station from midnight to 6am.
The robot is one of many ventures the city is taking into using technology to meet Adams’s election pledge to reduce crime in the city.
The robot made its initial debut in April alongside a robotic police dog that the department said would be used to navigate dangerous situations.
Adams said the robot has a license plate reader, but no real-time facial recognition abilities, which has been a concern for privacy advocates.
The robot has a button that can connect subway riders with a live person at all times if they have questions or to report an incident, Adams said.
Mayor Eric Adams ran his campaign on a promise to drive down crime in New York City and believes the robotic recruits will be used to save lives and deter atrocities in the Big Apple.
However, New Yorkers are not on the same page as the mayor when it comes to unleashing robocops in the concrete jungle.
One resident shared their frustration about the new recruits on Twitter: ‘We want fully funded libraries and schools, not more expensive toys for the NYPD.’
While other residents said the robots are ‘dystopian surveillance technologies.’
After that, it is expected to patrol the mezzanine level of the station for two months and help subway riders who have questions or need to report an incident. The robot will not be on subway platforms.
Crime in New York City skyrocketed from 2020 to 2023. Eric Adams believes the robots will help deter criminals in the city
The New York City Police Department released its annual round-up of crime over the past year – revealing figures were up in virtually every category, despite recent assertions from the mayor.
The statistics paint a bleak picture of the city’s efforts to address crime that’s rocketed since the pandemic – despite Adams repeatedly claiming his campaign to resolve the issue has been successful.
This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk
