NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — The NYPD has severed ties with its robotic dog amid concerns that the device was “creepy,” militaristic and too expensive.
The department recently canceled its $95,000 contract to lease the four-legged robot, known as Digidog.
While Digidog was billed as a futuristic tool for policing, it drew widespread criticism after the NYPD rolled it out at a NYCHA complex earlier this year.
City Councilman Ben Kallos was among the dog’s critics, saying the device underscored the “militarization of the police.”
“They shouldn’t be using military technology to police low-income communities of color, particularly when they’re already over-policed,” he told 1010 WINS. “In reality, what we are seeing is a militarization of domestic police that shouldn’t be happening on U.S. soil.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, meanwhile, spoke out against the dog earlier this year.
“Shout out to everyone who fought against community advocates who demanded these resources go to investments like school counseling instead,” she tweeted in February.
“Now robotic surveillance ground drones are being deployed for testing on low-income communities of color with under-resourced schools,” she added.
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