Crime & Safety
Gwinnett Police Demonstrate Two New Robots
The devices will help police in SWAT callouts and dangerous situations where there may be a bomb or unknown chemicals.
recently purchased two new tools to help fight crime without having to put their officers in harm's way.
They demonstrated the Hazardous Devices Unit's two newly acquired bomb robots. GCPD now has a total of four robots, allowing the HDU to respond to two different situations at the same time.
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The new robots are smaller and easier to maneuver than the older ones. "The robots we currently have are 10 years old or older," said GCPD Cpl. Edwin Ritter. "These robots were big and bulky. They were getting caught up inside the home or confined spaces."
The money to purchase the robots, which totaled $206,000 for both units, came from a grant through State Homeland Security. They come equipped with cameras, microphones and manipulator arms.
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Chemical and radiological detection equipment also come with the robots so officers can test substances on scene without having to put themselves in danger. "Maybe we have to evacuate a building or something, we can utilize this robot to get inside there, get to the hazardous chemical and be able to test it," said Ritter.
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