MA State Police Tested Boston Dynamics’ Robot Dog

WALTHAM, MA — There's a robotic dog that jumps, can open doors and navigate terrain that could be potentially dangerous to humans. Waltham-based Boston Dynamics, which designed the robot dog called "Spot," released it earlier this year for sale. The MA State Police rented the dog for three months earlier this year to test how well it did when it comes to all things bomb squad related.

The Massachusetts State Police have used robots to assist in responses to hazardous situations for years, deploying them to examine suspicious items and to clear high-risk locations where armed suspects may be present, according to the state police.

But representatives of the ACLU are raising a red flag about the robot's use, something it says highlights a bigger issue of transparency when it comes to the law enforcement's use of robotics.

"There is a lot we do not know about how and where these robotics systems are currently deployed in Massachusetts," said ACLU of Massachusetts' Kade Crockford. "All too often, the deployment of these technologies happens faster than our social, political, or legal systems react."

The ACLU's criticism comes after the group filed a public records request for information related to the State Police's use of robotics. Emails show that the State Police were invited in 2018 to give feedback to the company after a demonstration. At the time troopers noted they could see it being used in the hazmat or bomb squad departments.

The public records request revealed the State Police has worked with Ghost Robotics, iRobot, Endeavor and Boston Dynamics, and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on them.

"We urgently need more transparency from government agencies, who should be upfront with the public about their plans to test and deploy new technologies," Crockford said. "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."

A spokesman for the State Police stressed the department has a continual emphasis on examining the application of new technologies and it was in keep with that it completed a test program of the Boston Dynamics robot known as “Spot,” which we leased for a 90-day period that ended on Nov. 5.

"As with our other robots, 'Spot' was attached to our Bomb Squad, with the capability of providing remote inspection of potentially hazardous objects and dangerous environments that might contain criminal suspects or explosive devices," State Police David Propico said in an emailed statement to Patch.

The state police used the dog robot on two occasions in the 90 days they had it.

"The platform is still in beta testing and under development by Boston Dynamics, and we were grateful for the opportunity to evaluate its capabilities as they apply to our mission," Propico said when asked about the ACLU's criticism.

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Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).