Pullman Police introduce robot dog

PULLMAN — The Pullman Police Department bought a robot dog.

The agency announced in a news release Wednesday the Unitree Go2 Robot Dog, “MIKE” (Mission-Integrated Kinetic Entity) will be used as a de-escalation tool.

The purchase is made through the Capital Improvement Program to modernize the agency’s special operations capabilities by reducing human exposure to threatening environments.

The remote-controlled robot dog is a ground-based drone, equipped with 4K video and LIDAR mapping technology to view environmental conditions and threats.

Its one-way communication capabilities allow crisis negotiators to provide clear commands to barricaded subjects. It can also carry up to 25 lbs to transport phones, medical supplies or other items to subjects in unsafe locations.

The agency intends to use the robot dog in cases involving barricaded subjects, assist in building searches and improve safety for officers responding to dangerous situations.